TELECOM Digest     Thu, 13 Oct 94 15:16:00 CDT    Volume 14 : Issue
396
 
Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. 
Townson
 
     Information Wanted About Indiana Bell (Christopher Vaz)
     Unity Phones and SL1 - What's Good? (Christopher Hudel)
     PTT Rates Repository (Emmanuel Disini)
     Followup on EasyLink (Jeffrey Race)
     Plessey Tellumat (Graham Ross)
     Calculating Cost of Cellular Call While Roaming (Sheldon W. 
Hoenig)
     800-CALL-INFO (Dave Levenson)
     MCI's 1-800-CALL-INFO (Mike Borsetti)
     Testing 1-800-CALL-INFO (Les Reeves)
     ISDN-Based Internet Service (Alex Cena)
     ISDN - International From Calif/PacBell (Mike McCrohan)
     T1 -> 24x V.32 -> RS232 Packages (Lance Ellinghaus)
     Wanted: Information on Nationwide Paging Services (Lance Ware)
     Looking For Ringer Light (Marcos H. Woehrmann)
     Telecom Billing Software for DOS PC - Cost Flat LD Files
(htc@teleport.com)
     Need Information on State Telecom Equipment Procurement (Ashok
Mirchandani)
     Looking For Info/API's/Code Samples - NASI/NACS/Int14 Redirection 
(Duksta)
     Seeking Veteran RS-232 Experts (burt@clark.net)
 
TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
From: Christopher Vaz <CVZQC@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU>
Subject: Information Wanted About Indiana Bell
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 1994 05:12:13 EDT
Organization: City University of New York/University Computer Center
 
 
I am currently writing my dissertation on productivity in the
telephone industry. Does anyone have any references for Indiana Bell's
performance since the break-up of AT&T, short of actually contacting
the company directly?
 
 
Thanks,
 
Christopher Vaz     cvzqc@cunyvm.cuny.edu
 
 
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: A great deal of northern Indiana was 
part
of Illinois Bell until about twenty years ago, then AT&T decided for
whatever reason to move the northwestern part of the state -- the 
heavy
industry area -- away from Illinois Bell and over to Indiana Bell. It
was just an accident of history that Hammond/Gary/Whiting/East Chicago
had been with Illinois Bell. In the late 19th century as the industry
in the area began to develop including Rockefeller's Whiting Refinery, 
the
US Steel Gary Works and George Hammond's meat processing operation,
all those guys had their corporate headquarters in Chicago, and it 
made
sense for them to get the new-fangled invention wired up between their
plants on the southern shore of Lake Michigan and their offices in
Chicago. Illinois Bell's predecessor company -- The Chicago Telephone
Company -- was more than happy to oblige, and so cables were extended
down there in the 1890's.
 
During the 1920's when AT&T was busily grabbing up all the telcos they
could get, Chicago Telephone Company was sold to AT&T, and the 
northern
Indiana area went along as part of the deal.  AT&T purchased a bunch
of small telcos operating throughout Indiana (or stole them if you
prefer, depends on which historian you talk to!)  during the first
twenty years or so of this century which they put under the umbrella
they called 'Indiana Bell'. For whatever reasons, it took them about
half a century to decide that Illinois Bell should 'sell' its northern
Indiana holdings to Indiana Bell.     PAT]
 
------------------------------
 
From: hudel@waterloo.hp.com (Christopher Hudel)
Subject: Unity Phones and SL1 -- What's Good?
Date: 13 Oct 1994 14:42:09 GMT
Organization: Hewlett Packard (Panacom Division)
 
 
Howdy,
 
We have Unity business phones (Northern Telecom) hooked up to our
Meridian SL1 system.  The phone gurus seem very very tight-lipped
about what all the features are in these little babies and it took
quite a while before I managed even to find that Call Forward is "#1".
 
Does anyone have a list of standard SL1/Unity features and their
corresponding key-dials to active them?
 
 
Thanks,
 
Christopher Hudel   --   hudel@waterloo.hp.com  --      (519) 883-3013
 
------------------------------
 
From: D1749@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Disini SW, Emmanuel Disini,CST)
Subject: PTT Rates Repository
Date: 12 Oct 1994 08:28:19 -0500
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
 
 
Greetings!
 
Does anyone know where there might be a repository of PTT rates
worldwide? Please cc responses to d1749@applelink.apple.com
 
 
Thanks,
 
Joel Disini
 
------------------------------
 
From: Jeffrey Race <62075697@elm.attmail.com>
Subject: Followup on EasyLink
Date: 13 Oct 1994 13:00:00 CDT
 
 
Some comments appeared in the Digest recently about EasyLink, a
service started by Western Union.
 
The story is briefly that EasyLink is secretly alive, well, and
extremely useful.  It would be even more useful to a lot of people
interested in Internet access except AT&T does not promote it.
 
Details follow:
 
(a) The original EasyLink system, as you wrote, was a 300 baud network
operat- ed by Western Union and then bought by AT&T.  Subscribers are
uniquely iden- tified by an 8-digit number beginning with 62 (like
mine!).  The system was subsequently upgraded to 2400 baud although
one can access down to 300 baud.  There is a single 800 number for
access thoughout the U.S.A.  The monthly subscription is $25.00.
 
(b) This system was adapted to support Telex subscribers (the old 50
baud system, which is still widely used around the world because it is
very reliable, though expensive).  The old Model 32 teleprinters
hard-wired to the telex exchanges were replaced by dedicated
computers/modems served with dial-up service.  Thus for the same
price one had his old telex number as well as a new EasyLink number.
 
(c) This system lets one send telex messages, fax messages, EasyLink
messages and all kinds of other things like postal mail, cables and
X.400 messages to systems throughout the world; one can also access
OAG and many other databases. There are two ways to configure one's
subscription: store-and-forward or real-time.  If one configures
real-time (known as "virtual telex"), one also has access to the
store-and-forward functionality.  For example, one can send more than
one message (in a batch mode).  AT&T sells software but I just use
Procomm which works fine.  (That is, I have a dedicated terminal in
Boston for incoming traffic, which I can also use for outgoing, but I
mostly transmit from my notebook computer using Procomm and calling
the 800 number.)
 
(d) AT&T also had its own system called ATTMAIL, which uses alphabetic
addresses and is only store-and-forward.  Subsequently this also
came to be called EasyLink and the two systems are now distinguished
as follows: The old WUTCO system (62 numbers) is called EasyLink IMS
and the ATTMAIL system is called EasyLink GMS.  I infer from many
conversations with ATT personnel that the IMS system is no longer
promoted.
 
(e) Why might this be interesting to Net enthusiasts?   Because:
 
    (1) everyone who has a 62 address has an Internet address (e.g. 
mine which
        is 62075697@eln.attmail.com) and also an X.400 address;
 
    (2) one can configure the subscription to force-feed all incoming 
traffic.
 
This is what is so wonderful for me: all my incoming traffic
(regardless of whether X.400, telex, EasyLink, or Internet) is dumped
on my terminal as soon as received by AT&T!  I never have to call in
for anything.  And I can access this system anywhere in the world
using a packet switch.  At $25 per month it seems quite reasonable.
 
It is also possible to configure so incoming traffic goes to a mailbox
(for dial-in retrieval) or goes to a facsimile machine.
 
There is 24-hour technical control support facility as well.
 
3. Because AT&T does not promote very actively I had to spend quite a
lot of time researching the above but now that I have it set up, it
works very well for me.  Two AT&T people who are well informed about
it are:
 
  Mr. Fred Erman
  AT&T Easylink Services
  400 Interpace Parkway
  Parsippany NJ  07054
 
  Mr. Peter Lynch
  AT&T International Network Deployment
  ATTMAIL address: PLYNCH
 
4. By the way my posting for "Telecom Design Tricks" pulled about 500
enquiries from all over the world.  Thanks for your good work.
 
5. Another subject: I saw some traffic a while back about fax
switches.  The problem is that no fax switch in the market will
correctly route a manual fax call (unless you have something like
distinctive ringing).  I have developed a solution which lets me put
my EasyLink terminal and a fax machine on the same line and which
correctly routes manual fax calls (which 50 % of them are).  I expect
a lot of people would like to put their modem and fax on the same line
but can't because of the manual fax call problem.  I am toying with
the idea of commercializing this.  If you have any bright ideas, let
me know or pass on to someone who is interested.  If I don't hear, I
will understand you are swamped with work.
 
 
Kind Regards,
 
JEFFREY RACE
 
 
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Thanks for your followup. I used to
subscribe to WUTCO EasyLink about ten years ago; I don't know why
I let it expire, except that I was not using it that much. It is
exactly as you describe it and a very useful service for people who
want the essence of a telex machine on line at all times. Now with
its link through attmail.com it seems like 'virtual telex' would be
more useful than before since news and email would be sent through
as it arrives right to your terminal. You are right about being
swamped with work here; the Digest mailing list is larger than ever
and the mail is rolling in in excess of a couple hundred items per
day.  I don't get time to do much other than go out to work each
day, stop at the IHOP to eat on my way home, then work on the Digest
for a few hours.  I'm surviving, with the help of the folks at ITU
and other friends of the Digest.    PAT]
 
------------------------------
 
From: gingo@cix.compulink.co.uk (Graham Ross)
Subject: Plessey Tellumat
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 1994 19:46:48 GMT
 
 
Plessey Tellumat.
 
Anybody have any info regarding the above company?
 
 
Graham Ross  gingo@cix.compulink.uk
Aberdeen   Scotland   UK
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 1994 13:56:51 EDT
From: Sheldon W. Hoenig <hoenigs@gsimail.ddn.mil>
Reply-To: hoenigs@gsimail.ddn.mil
Subject: Calculating Cost of Cellular Call While Roaming
 
 
My daughter and my wife are going to travel to a number of colleges in
the midwest in a few weeks so that my daughter can be interviewed for
grad school.  When each interview is complete, my daughter wants to
call my wife on the cellular telephone so that my wife can pick her
up.  The cellular telephone has a 703 area-code telephone number.  If
the telephone is set for roaming in each city, what type of
call -- local or long distance -- will be charged to the cellular
telephone number and to my telephone credit card for the pay-phone
call that my daughter will make?
 
I assume that my daughter will dial the true cellular telephone number
which, of course, will be a long-distance telephone number.
 
I asked this question twice of my Cellular-1 supplier and I received 
two
vastly different answers.
 
 
Sheldon W. Hoenig                Internet:
Government Systems, INC (GSI)       hoenigs@gsimail.ddn.mil
Suite 500                           hoenig@infomail.infonet.com
3040 Williams Drive              Telephone: (703) 846-0420
Fairfax, VA 22031-4612                      (800) 336-3066 x420
 
------------------------------
 
From: dave@westmark.com (Dave Levenson)
Subject: 800-CALL-INFO
Organization: Westmark, Inc.
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 1994 14:15:16 GMT
 
 
This number has recently gotten a whole lot of prime-time radio and TV
advertisement.
 
This appears that the latest non-toll-free 800 trap.  Not only do they
charge the directory-assistance information charge of $0.75 to the
calling telephone number, they also offer to connect the caller with
the number requested, and to charge the calling number for that call.
The 0.75 charge is not mentioned at any time during a call for
directory assistance.
 
If your PBX or other toll-diversion equipment is not already
programmed to watch for this, I suggest that you block access to this
number.  If your equipment is not sophisticated enough to allow
blocking a specified 800+ number, then block access to all 800+
numbers.  If your equipment doesn't allow you to block access to the
800 area code, too bad.
 
If you bought yourself (or your business) a toll-free number to 
encourage
lots of prospective customers to give you a call, well, sorry about
that.  The industry seems to have substantially lowered the value of
such numbers by allowing others to make them non-toll-free, and 
thereby
making callers suspicious of them.
 
How about it MCI? AT&T? SPRINT? et al.  You can't have it both ways.
Either go back to the original design and guarantee the calling party
that calls to 800 numbers are toll-free, or don't charge your 800
customers a premium for using them.
 
 
Dave Levenson  Internet: dave@westmark.com
Westmark, Inc.  UUCP: uunet!westmark!dave
Stirling, NJ, USA Voice: 908 647 0900  Fax: 908 647 6857
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 1994 08:46:10 PDT
From: Mike Borsetti <BORSETTIM@BACTC.COM>
Subject: MCI's 1-800-CALL-INFO
Reply-To: mike.borsetti@bactc.com
 
 
I've read in yesterday's {Wall Street Journal} that MCI has started a
new, nationwide directory assistance service with call completion.
Here is how it works:
 
1) Call 1-800-CALL-INFO.
 
2) No need to know the area code -- just tell where the person lives, 
and
    they'll give you the complete number with the area code.
 
3) The service costs 75c.
 
4) If you want, they'll connect you to that number and you pay 
"regular
    MCI rates".  You *do not* have to be an MCI subscriber in order to 
use
    the service.
 
This whole thing raises a few questions:
 
1. You are being billed 75c to call an 800 number.  I believe that
generally this practice is frawned upon.
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
3. The idea of not having to know the area code in order to get 
directory
assistance makes a lot of sense.  Bravo MCI!
 
 
Mike.Borsetti@bactc.com
Cellular One / San Francisco
 
 
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Let's find out what happens if the 
number
is called from a payphone; or if you want to deal with two sources of
ill-will at the same time, try calling from your favorite COCOT.  
Let's
see if the call completes and who has to pay for it. By all means, 
let's
ask them to complete the call for us 'at MCI rates'. I'd venture to 
say
they are checking the database on incoming calls to catch such things
and if they are, then the COCOTS who are listed as coin with the local
telco will probably be protected also ... the COCOTS using regular 
service
may not be protected.  I agree it is pretty awful that we can no 
longer
count on 800 service to be toll-free to the caller. It looks like the 
only
really workable fraud prevention devices these days are those that 
screen
full ten-digit numbers. None of the old areacode/prefix screening 
techniques
will work effeciently any longer.  PAT]
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 1994 09:35:02 -0700 (PDT)
From: Les Reeves <lreeves@crl.com>
Subject: Testing 1-800-CALL-INFO
 
 
MCI has announced a new service, 1-800 CALL INFO. It is touted as a
nation-wide directory assistance service.  You are charged $0.75 per
call for two searches.
 
As a test, I called and asked for the number of a Patrick Townson in
Chicago, IL.  I figured this was a good test since Pat has moved in
the past year and I wasn't even sure he was still in Chicago proper.
 
After giving the operator Pat's name and city, and waiting about 45
seconds, I was told that there were two listings, one non-published
and one unlisted.  Hmmm.  I asked for another name and the operator
informed me that I had used up my two searches.
 
800 CALL INFO is eleven digits.  The extra O must be for overcharge!!
 
 
   Les     lreeves@crl.com       Atlanta,GA      404.874.7806
 
 
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yeah, well my non-published number is
for bill collectors trying to get ahold of me and my unlisted number
is for use when I call hot-chat lines.  <grin> ... Seriously, I am
curious how they get their information and how they have it organized.
If you asked for me in 'Chicago' (312) then I am not there, period
however there is a Patrick Townsend (no relation, no connection) who
by coincidence lived only a few blocks away from me when I was living
in Rogers Park (Chicago neighborhood) until about a year ago. I am
told he had to get his number non-pub out of self defense because so
many people were calling him looking for me!  If you asked for me
in 708 or "Chicago North Suburbs" then maybe the response would have
been different.  I wonder if MCI is using any sort of legitimate data-
base from the local telcos or if they have strung together some sort
of outdated cross-reference books where half the entries are out of
date and a couple years old.  Sounds like a ripoff to me; best limit
use of the service to coin phones (Genuine Bell or COCOT, I don't 
care)
and of course be prepared to deposit the 75 cents in coins when the
operator requests it ... but then, how were you to know a call to
an 800 number costs you money?   <grin> ... remember the astrologers
a couple years ago operating on an 800 number and how Digest readers
took a sudden interest in the subject?  PAT]
 
------------------------------
 
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 94 08:31:19 EST
From: Alex Cena <acena@wfcsmtp.ie3.lehman.com>
Subject: ISDN-Based Internet Service
 
 
Can someone recommend an Internet service provider with a good user
interface and ISDN access for the New York City/Newark area.
Preferably in the 908 area code.  I contacted one that wanted over
$200 just to sign up for the service, which I found somewhat expensive
given that they want another $40 minimm + usage each month.
 
 
Regards,
 
Alex
 
------------------------------
 
From: Mike McCrohan <McCrohan@iol.ie>
Subject: ISDN - International From Calif/PacBell
Date: 13 Oct 1994 00:41:17 +0100
Organization: Tada, tuigeann tu?
Reply-To: mccrohan@iol.ie
 
 
Has anyone experience in commissioning ISDN BRI from PACBELL territory
in southern California for international communications (to/from
Ireland)?
 
We have installed ISDN service here in Ireland and at a location in S
Calif, but cannot seem to be able to connect with the Calif end. I
have been told that sometimes service is not enabled for international
access, or whatever.  What are the things I need to look out for? What
questions do I need ask the Telco to ensure that the service is
configured appropriately to allow us do what we need to do?
 
Thanks in advance for any and all advice,
 
 
Mike McCrohan         mccrohan@iol.ie
Cloon, Claregalway,   mike.mccrohan@iol.ie
Co. Galway, Ireland   +353 91 98556
 
------------------------------
 
From: Lance Ellinghaus <lance@markv.com>
Subject: T1 -> 24 x v.32 -> RS232
Organization: Mark V Systems Limited, Encino, Ca.
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 1994 08:21:52 GMT
 
 
A company called Primary Access has a product that will take a T1 (24
VOICE channels) and interpret the DS0 channels as modem connections
(v.32, v.42bis, etc..) and output standard RS232 to hook to a system.
 
What other companies have something like this?  Comments on their
products?  Contacts to get more information?
 
PLEASE EMAIL me. I don't have Usenet at home right now; only email.
 
 
Thank you!
 
Lance Ellinghaus   lance@markv.com
 
------------------------------
 
From: lware@homer.voxel.com (Lance Ware)
Subject: Wanted: Information on Nationwide Paging Services
Organization: VOXEL
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 1994 00:43:40 GMT
 
 
I am interested in getting pricing on nationwide paging services, for
both simple numerica paging, and also alpha-numerc/text. Any pointers
would be appreciated.
 
 
Lance Ware    IS Manager & VOXEL Guru
 
------------------------------
 
From: marcos@netcom.com (Marcos H. Woehrmann)
Subject: Looking For Ringer Light
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 
guest)
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 1994 00:45:40 GMT
 
 
Hi,
 
I'm looking for a company that makes a device that turns on a light
when a phone rings.  I have found two things that are almost right,
one flashes a light (the light is only on when the ring voltage is
present) and the other flashes a strobe light (presumably using the
ring current to charge the circuit); but for my application the light
needs to stay on until the phone stops ringing (I relize I could
modify the flashing device by adding a timed relay to the output, but
I need a bunch of these and would rather buy them then make them).
 
I'm sure I've seen this sort of device listed in telphone equipment
catalogues in the past, but as usual, when looking for something I
can't find it.
 
 
Marcos H. Woehrmann    marcos@netcom.com
 
------------------------------
 
From: htcink@teleport.com (htc)
Subject: Telecom Billing Software for DOS PC - Cost Flat LD Files
Date: 12 Oct 1994 18:02:14 -0700
Organization: Teleport - Portland's Public Access (503) 220-1016
 
 
Dear Telecom Provider,
 
My company has software available to cost flat files received from
various LD companies.  Software runs on your PC, and can be configured
as you require.  The program is written in the 'C' Language and costs
$2500.00 with modifications to meet your specific requirements extra.
The program also has an optional invoice-generation program to help
you re-bill your clients.
 
Please contact Chris at:
 
 
HTC, Inc.
19625 NW Melrose
Portland, OR  97229
(503) 690-8391
(503) 645-3566 -fax
6994868@mcimail.com
 
 
htcink@teleport.COM  Public Access User --- Not affiliated with 
Teleport
Public Access UNIX and Internet at (503) 220-1016 (2400-14400, N81)
 
------------------------------
 
From: ashokm@cs.tamu.edu (Ashok G Mirchandani)
Subject: Need Information on State Telecom Equipment Procurement
Date: 13 Oct 1994 15:42:36 GMT
Organization: Texas A&M Computer Science Department, College Station, 
TX
 
 
Hello,
 
I need information about how each individual State Government in the 
US
procures telecommunications services and equipment.
 
I also need information on the mechanism for representation of State
telecommunication positions and interests before the state utility
regulatory body in each state. Can someone please guide me to a proper
source?
 
Thank you in advance.  Please email your responses.
 
 
Ashok Mirchandani Ph: (409) 846 1543
Internet: ashokm@photon.cs.tamu.edu
 
------------------------------
 
From: jduksta@panix.com (John C.C. Duksta)
Subject: Looking For Info/API's/Code Samples For NASI/NACS/Int14 
Redirection
Followup-To: jduksta@panix.com
Date: 13 Oct 1994 11:09:18 -0400
Organization: Coherent Technologies, Inc.
 
 
To all of those in the know:
 
I'm looking for information, sample code, availability of API's for
Netware Async Services Interface (NASI) from the server point of view.
Any related information would also be helpful.  We're kind of under
pressure here (so what's new?), so expedient responses would really be
great.
 
 
TIA
 
John C.C. Duksta
Technical Support Analyst
Digital Communications Associates, Inc.
 
------------------------------
 
From: burt@clark.net
Subject: Seeking Veteran RS-232 Experts
Date: 13 Oct 1994 14:34:45 -0400
Organization: Clark Internet Services, Inc., Ellicott City, MD USA
 
 
SEEKING Veteran RS-232 Experts -
 
I am searching for people who are very familiar with the EIA-RS-232
interface standard and its historical uses and applications during the
1960's and 1970's.  I am willing to pay money to folks who have this
knowledge and can assist me in locating information and/or companies
who utilized this interface creatively.  If you are interested in more
details of my proposition, please reply by E-Mail to burt@clark.net.
 
------------------------------
 
End of TELECOM Digest V14 #396
****************************
 

