Received: by bu-cs.BU.EDU (5.58/4.7) id AA21085; Sat, 17 Dec 88 01:02:28 EST Message-Id: <8812170602.AA21085@bu-cs.BU.EDU> Date: Sat, 17 Dec 88 0:29:29 EST From: The Moderator Reply-To: TELECOM@bu-cs.BU.EDU Subject: TELECOM Digest V8 #203 To: TELECOM@bu-cs.bu.edu TELECOM Digest Sat, 17 Dec 88 0:29:29 EST Volume 8 : Issue 203 Today's Topics: Touchstar(R) Custom Calling Services through Southern Bell New Jersey Bell Announces CLASS(SM) Calling Service Next phase of MFJ MCI develops revolutionary new technology! Pins for a modular recepticle Hinsdale CO - Is Illinois Bell Cheating? [In this issue of the Digest, a look at the advanced custom calling features offered by two telcos: Southern Bell and New Jersey Bell. Even though much of the test in the first two messages is the same, I have included both for comparison, since each telco has some variations in the new offerings.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: RCH@cup.portal.com To: telecom-request@xx.lcs.mit.edu Subject: Touchstar(R) Custom Calling Services through Southern Bell Date: Thu, 15-Dec-88 19:08:09 PST I am a Touchstar(R) Custom Services customer from Southern Bell in Athens, GA. We recently had these services added to the ESS system here, as well as in Atlanta and probably many other cities in this LATA. We have had c waiting for years, and call-forwarding, and three-way calling. But these services are now available: [from the Touchstar(R) Service User's Guide, 6/88 So. Bell] CALL RETURN -- "Call return is a simple way to call back the last number that called you, whether or not you answered the phone. For those times when you're in the shower, the garden, etc., and can't get to the phone when it rings, or when you return home and want to know the last person that called when you were out, CALL RETURN will automatically call back that last number." REPEAT DIALING -- "Remember the last time you repeatedly tried to call someone and their line was busy or there was no answer? Now REPEAT DIALING makes your life easier. It automatically redials the last number you dialed. If the line is busy, REPEAT DIALING will keep trying until the line is free, then signal you. You can use REPEAT DIALING for more than one busy number at a time. During this time you may place and receive other calls." CALL TRACING -- "CALL TRACING enables you to initiate an automatic trace of the last call you received. Your teleohone company Annoyance Cal Center will automatically receive a message containing the phone number where the offending call originated, plus the time and date of when the offending call was placed. It is necessary, however, for you to call your telephone company Annoyance Call Center if you wish them to investigate further...." CALL SELECTOR -- "Have you ever been waiting for a call from someone in particular, and didn't really want to answer calls from other people? CALL SELECTOR lets you know whether that particular person (or one of several people) is calling. With CALL SELECTOR, you make a list of preferred phone number(s), then your phone will signal you with a special ring (short-long-short ring cycle) when someone from your list is calling." CALL BLOCK -- "Have you ever had an annoying caller who repeatedly disturbed you> Or, are there certain times when you don't wish to speak with someone in particular? CALL BLOCK helps you control your phone and rids you of these inconveniences. This service prevents the last person who called you from reaching you again (from the same calling number). It also rejects phone numbers you put on your CALL BLOCK list. In either case, the call is re-routed to a recorded message and your phone does not ring." PREFERRED CALL FORWARDING -- "PREFERRED CALL FORWARDING enables you to select another telephone number where calls are to be forwarded, and then limits the forwarded calls to just the numbers on your PREFERRED CALL FORWARDING list." ----- CALL RETURN and CALL FORWARDING automatically attempt to place the call every minute for half an hour. When the line becomes free you will hear a special (short-short-long) ring cycle. Picking up the receiver will then ring the number you are calling. You may still place and receive calls normally while using these features. These features both work with multiple numbers (six per list). Note that all of these features will work even if you are using the phone, as long as you have Call Waiting. ----- Excerpts from the Touchstar(R) User's Guide, Southern Bell, South Central Bell, (c)1988 BellSouth Services BSSM 8815 6/88 ------------------------------ From: hpk@vax135.att.com Date: Thu, 15 Dec 88 09:16:54 EST To: arpa!bu-cs.BU.EDU!TELECOM Subject: New Jersey Bell Announces CLASS(SM) Calling Service I recently received a brochure from New Jersey Bell stating that the State Board of Public Utilities has given New Jersey Bell approval to offer CLASS Calling Service. The services offered are: Caller*ID Lets you know the telephone number of an incoming call to your home or business. The number will be displayed on a device that you must purchase from Bell Atlantic or another vendor. Repeat*Call Redials the last number you dialed--even if it is busy. Now you can continue with your daily routine instead of losing time dialing and redialing, only to keep hearing a busy signal. REPEAT*CALL will keep dialing for you for 30 minutes while your telephone line is still available to receive or make other calls. Call*Block Blocks calls from as many as six telephone numbers, which you can select. Annoyance calls can be easily blocked, whether you know the number or not! Calls may be blocked after an incoming call, or you may make a list in advance of as many as six telephone numbers. Return*Call Calls back the last person who called, whether you answered the ring or not. No need to rush to answer a call. When you are ready to return the call. When you are ready to return the call, just pick up the receiver, listen for dial tone, and use RETURN*CALL to call back the last party who was trying to reach you. If the number is busy, RETURN*CALL will keep dialing for you for 30 minutes, leaving your phone free for other calls. Priority*Call Alerts you with a special ring or special Call Waiting tone for as many as six telephone numbers that you select. If you are a subscriber to Call Waiting and you are on the phone, you will hear a special tone. When you're too busy to answer every call--you choose which calls you want to answer. Select*Forward Lets you choose as many as six telephone numbers to forward. No need to stay at home to wait for a specific call--just use SELECT*FORWARD and let that call come to where you are. Call*Trace Initiates a trace of the telephone number of the last call you received. If you have a serious problem with obscene, threatening, or harassing calls, you can now trace their source. The number will be retrieved by New Jersey Bell and held. New Jersey Bell will only release trace information to legally empowered authorities. For further action, just contact your local Residence or Business Service Center. (In an emergency, call your local law enforcement agency.) It also states that if you call someone who has Caller*ID, your number will, subject only to equipment limitations, be displayed on his/her display unit even if Caller*ID is not available yet in your area. The monthly cost is $4.00 for one feature plus $1.50 for each additional one. If one of the features is Caller*ID, add $2.50 to the monthly cost. There is a $1.00 charge for each Call*Trace. The Caller*ID display unit may be purchased for $67.55. More information is available (in New Jersey) at 1-800-772-2184. ------------------------------ From: ames!claris!portal!cup.portal.com!David_W_Tamkin@harvard.harvard.edu To: telecom@bu-cs.bu.edu Subject: Next phase of MFJ Date: Wed, 14-Dec-88 21:01:33 PST Because a new rate hike proposal by Illinois Bell has been in the news, one radio report made a passing mention to something that will come into effect January 1, 1989, under the terms of the Modified Final Judgment of the AT&T divestiture. It involved something concerning competition for local telephone service. Can anyone supply details of what it really is (and of anything else changing on 1/1/89 under the MFJ)? Thanks much, David_W_Tamkin@cup.portal.com ...!sun!portal!cup.portal.com!david_w_tamkin ------------------------------ To: comp-dcom-telecom@rutgers.edu From: miket@brspyr1.brs.com (Mike Trout) Subject: MCI develops revolutionary new technology! Date: 15 Dec 88 21:01:35 GMT All you wimps that get your long-distance telephone service from AT&T and Sprint are gonna be real sorry now. MCI has developed an astounding new technology that will change life as we know it. In fact, be on the alert for shadowy organizations with names like "MCI World Control" or "MCI Global Domination." >From the November/December 1988 issue of _MCI_Connections_: "Faster than the speed of sound...faster than the speed of light...MCI's [registered trademark] Worldwide Direct Dialing lets your voice travel around the world in seconds." -- NSA food: Iran sells Nicaraguan drugs to White House through CIA, DIA & NRO. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Michael Trout (miket@brspyr1)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BRS Information Technologies, 1200 Rt. 7, Latham, N.Y. 12110 (518) 783-1161 "God forbid we should ever be 20 years without...a rebellion." Thomas Jefferson ------------------------------ To: comp-dcom-telecom@rutgers.edu From: jch@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu (Jeffrey C Honig) Subject: Pins for a modular recepticle Date: 16 Dec 88 04:45:24 GMT I have two phone lines installed at home which I have wired in an RJ14 configuration (both pairs on one modular jack). I've modified several phones with a simple switch to select which line to use. I'm having problems with an AT&T phone though. The modular receptacle on the phone itself only has contacts for two wires. In the past I have been able to use two pieces of fairly stiff wire as substitutes, but the contortions needed to mount this phone on the wall (it's a desk/wall mount) bend the wires flat in the receptacle so they loose contact with the modular plug. Is there any company that markets these contacts seperately? As a side note, New York Telephone provides a hunt group at no charge, all I had to do was ask. Thanks. Jeff jch@tcgould.tn.cornell.edu ------------------------------ From: ames!claris!portal!cup.portal.com!Kenneth_R_Jongsma@harvard.harvard.edu To: telecom@bu-cs.bu.edu Subject: Hinsdale CO Date: Fri, 16-Dec-88 05:35:10 PST Did you hear that Ill Bell has gone back on it's promise to install Halon in the replacement central office? Now they are saying it will be manned 24 hours a day. Wonder how long that will last... [Moderator's note: Yes, I heard it also. I think they will at least keep someone on the premises now. Our local office, Chicago-Edgewater, has had a clerk on duty all night since May. They give him/her other work to do so the eight hour shift is not spent just sitting idly. And the duty personnel are equipped with hand-held halon units. I suppose it is a reasonable compromise but a lot of people were unhappy to hear that Hinsdale is now being treated so casually once again. The few suits that have been filed against IBT as a result of the May fire have been settled out of court I understand. P. Townson] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest *********************