Return-Path: Received: by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.7.4/NSCS-1.0S) id IAA14806; Tue, 7 Jan 1997 08:58:10 -0500 (EST) Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 08:58:10 -0500 (EST) From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Message-Id: <199701071358.IAA14806@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V17 #2 TELECOM Digest Tue, 7 Jan 97 08:58:00 EST Volume 17 : Issue 2 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Response From Cyber Promotions (Rishab Aiyer Ghosh) Pacific Bell Offers Free Services To North State Flood Victims (Mike King) Book Review: "Electronic Mail" by Radicati (Rob Slade) Japanese Signal Modulation Problem? (J. Rehman) 805 on Growing Split List (Tad Cook) Re: Internet by Satellite (Ken Gleason) Re: Internet by Satellite (Dave Hughes) Re: Internet by Satellite (scottp@mindspring.com) TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not exclusively to telecommunications topics. It is circulated anywhere there is email, in addition to various telecom forums on a variety of public service systems and networks including Compuserve and America On Line. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. Subscriptions are available to qualified organizations and individual readers. Write and tell us how you qualify: * ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu * The Digest is edited, published and compilation-copyrighted by Patrick Townson of Skokie, Illinois USA. You can reach us by postal mail, fax or phone at: Post Office Box 4621 Skokie, IL USA 60076 Phone: 847-329-0571 Fax: 847-329-0572 ** Article submission address: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Our archives are located at lcs.mit.edu. The URL is: http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives They can also be accessed using anonymous ftp: ftp hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives A third method is the Telecom Email Information Service: Send a note to tel-archives@mirror.lcs.mit.edu to receive a help file for using this method or write me and ask for a copy of the help file for the Telecom Archives. ************************************************************************* * TELECOM Digest is partially funded by a grant from the * * International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland * * under the aegis of its Telecom Information Exchange Services (TIES) * * project. Views expressed herein should not be construed as represent-* * ing views of the ITU. * ************************************************************************* Finally, the Digest is funded by gifts from generous readers such as yourself who provide funding in amounts deemed appropriate. Your help is important and appreciated. A suggested donation of twenty dollars per year per reader is considered appropriate. See our address above. All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subject: Response From Cyber Promotions Date: Mon, 6 Jan 1997 13:46:21 PST From: rishab@dxm.org (Rishab Aiyer Ghosh) Reply-To: rishab@dxm.org Cyber Promotions says it was not responsible for the threatening spam, and has terminated the account of thoose who were: Forwarded message: [...] Version 1-4-97: Cyber Promotions has recently terminated several accounts for abuse of our policies. (Updated TOS at end of message). Cyber Promotions will not tolerate irresponsible commercial email activities. The following email accounts have been *recently TERMINATED... *noci@cyberpromo.com 1-4-97: Spamming with THREATS! jrtkjs@savetrees.com 10-9-96: Forgery and spamming INTERNET jrtkjs@answerme.com "" "" "" "" "" "" dollars@savetrees.com Non-existant account. The account was forged by the people who opened the accounts above. info1@cyberpromo.com 10-8-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses changes@answerme.com 9-30-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses changes@cyberpromo.com 9-30-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses changes@savetrees.com 9-30-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses catalog@savetrees.com 9-30-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses catalog@cyberpromo.com 9-30-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses catalog@answerme.com 9-30-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses eleven@answerme.com 9-28-96: Forgeries eleven@savetrees.com 9-28-96: Forgeries eleven@answerme.com 9-28-96: Forgeries tsahk@cyberpromo.com 9-27-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses tsahk@answerme.com 9-27-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses icssender@omni.cyberpromo.com 9-19-96: FORGED unsolicited email, making it appear that Cyberpromo's auto-sender was responsible. If you are in receipt of the message, please look through the headers and complain to the appropriate postmasters. networkes@answerme.com 9-17-96: Ignored remove requests networkes@cyberpromo.com 9-17-96: Ignored remove requests networkes@savetrees.com 9-17-96: Ignored remove requests reminders@answerme.com 9-17-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses reminders@savetrees.com 9-17-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses reminders@cyberpromo.com 9-17-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses salespromo@answerme.com 9-16-96: Unsolicited ads to INTERNET addresses salespromo@savetrees.com "" "" "" "" salespromo@cyberpromo.com "" "" "" "" promo@answerme.com "" "" "" "" promo@savetrees.com "" "" "" "" promo@cyberpromo.com "" "" "" "" info4free@answerme.com "" "" "" "" info4free@savetrees.com "" "" "" "" info4free@cyberpromo.com "" "" "" "" manda@cyberpromo.com 8-28: Massive abuse to INTERNET addresses / FORGERY manda@answerme.com 8-28: Massive abuse to INTERNET addresses / FORGERY website@cyberpromo.com 8-27: excessive abuse to AOL / removals ignored sevenmil@cyberpromo.com 8-27: excessive abuse / all removals ignored sevenmil@answerme.com 8-27: "" "" "" "" "" "" vera@cyberpromo.com vera@answerme.com zol@answerme.com website@answerme.com allied@cyberpromo.com allied@answerme.com lists@cyberpromo.com lists@answerme.com -------------------- Cyber Promotions is *not* in business to annoy people. We are in the business of sending (and assisting in sending) commercial (and noncommercial) email to people who are *not* offended by the receipt of these messages. Unfortunately, due to many experiences (many of which were out of our control) we have had some problems accomplishing our goals without upsetting some people. We are truly sorry about that fact, and we plan to "clean up the streets" as best as we can. Some people have been under the impression that all email that appears to come from cyberpromo.com, is from Cyber Promotions. That is not true. Most of the complaints that we have recently received have been in reaction to people who have "autoresponders" and "virtual email addresses" on our system. In that case, their mail would have referenced an account on our system, but originated from a different site. Unfortunately, software like Pegasus enables their mail to appear as if it came from us, directly. But, their true origination is still evident in the headers. You can determine where it originated if you know how to decode headers. But when doing so, remember that Pegasus, for example, actually logs into *our* sendmail. At this time, the only messages that originate from Cyber Promotions, use our proprietary Cyber Sender 5.0+ protocol which will always be indicated in the organization: header. Due to these "look alikes," it could appear that recipients' remove request were being ignored. WE DO NOT IGNORE REMOVE REQUESTS. Please note: we have no control over mail that originates from other sites, that travel through our SMTP (relay-host) servers. We will simply terminate any accounts that we maintain, that is referred to in their abusive mail. ATTENTION PRODIGY MEMBERS: It has come to Cyber Promotions' attention, that some of you are having a major problem removing yourselves from our lists. This can be attributed to the "alias" that your outgoing mail may contain. If you are having problems, please send an email to manremove@cyberpromo.com and type both of your email addresses in the body of the message, each on its own line, without any comments. The subject line is ignored. You probably have one address like xazd35r@prodigy.com and another address like sanford@prodigy.com. ATTENTION PIPELINE MEMBERS: It has come to Cyber Promotions' attention, that some of you are having a major problem removing yourselves from our lists. This can be attributed to the "alias" that your outgoing mail may contain. If you are having problems, please send an email to manremove@cyberpromo.com and type your email addresses in the body of the message, each on its own line, without any comments. The subject line is ignored. You should type your email id followed by the following THREE domains. @usa.pipeline.com, @pipeline.com, @nyc.pipeline.com. Even if you feel that your address is definately only one of the three possibilities, you should still remove all three addresses (each on its own line). ATTENTION INTERNET USERS: It has come to Cyber Promotions' attention, that some of you are having a major problem removing yourselves from our lists. This can be attributed to the "alias" that your outgoing mail may contain. If you are having problems, please send an email to manremove@cyberpromo.com and type your email addresses in the body of the message, each on its own line, without any comments. The subject line is ignored. If your email address could contain an alias like mail.domain.com or if you may have more that one email address that points to another email address, you should remove them all. If you wish to remove *every* email address in your domain, please contact us, and we will "grep" out every possibility. REVISED TERMS OF SERVICE: 1. We do not allow postings to inappropriate newsgroups with reference to your account because such postings result in *MUCH* more negative response than positive. 2. We prohibit the advertising of offensive material (ie. pornography, weapons, etc). 3. You may not use the account to participate in illegal activities. 4. Our TOS strictly prohibits the sending of mass commercial emails to INTERNET addresses, unless expressed permission has been granted to you by the recipient. In addition, you *must* honor all requests for removal from your mailing list in a diligent manner. Our service can be used in conjunction with advertisements that you place with a bulk email company other than your own or us, as long as they follow the same guidelines. 5. Cyber Promotions reserves the right to terminate any account for any reason at any time, without notice. ----- End Included Message ----- ------------------------------ From: Mike King Subject: Pacific Bell Offers Free Services To North State Flood Victims Date: Mon, 6 Jan 1997 19:05:48 PST ----- Forwarded Message ----- Date: Mon, 06 Jan 1997 16:16:03 -0800 From: sqlgate@sf-ptg-fw.pactel.com Subject: Pacific Bell Offers Free Services To North State Flood Victims FOR MORE INFORMATION: Dave Miller (916) 972-2811 dnmille@legal.pactel.com Pacific Bell Offers Free Services To North State Flood Victims Call Forwarding, Voice Mail And Installation Charges To Be Waived For Customers SACRAMENTO -- Pacific Bell is offering free Voice Mail and Call Forwarding to flood victims in northern and central California who have lost telephone service at their homes and businesses. In an announcement at its Northern California Emergency Operations Center today, the company said it is also offering free installation of phone service at a temporary location for customers who have been displaced and is waiving the installation charges for its voice mail and call forwarding products for impacted residents and companies. Pacific Bell acknowledged the cooperation and support of key staff at the California Public Utilities Commission, who gave verbal approval on Friday for the free service offer to flood victims. The Message Center*, Pacific Bell Voice Mail* and Call Forwarding are being offered free of charge for up to two months to all Pacific Bell customers who have been displaced from their homes and businesses or who have lost telephone service. Flood Victims Have 30 Days To Order Free Voice Mail, Call Forward Services Starting today, impacted customers in flood-stricken areas will have 30 days to call and order their free services from the company. The offer ends on February 7, 1997, according to Chuck Smith, vice president of Network Operations for Pacific Bell. Smith is directing the company's response to the flooding disaster. "Phone service is vital during normal times, but it is especially important in times of emergencies and crisis," Smith said. "We want to do our best to help people stay connected with their families and friends, their communities and support groups as they recover from these devastating floods." No estimates are available on how many flood victims might take advantage of the offer, but Rick Dasch, regional vice president of Consumer Marketing for Pacific Bell, noted that more than 100,000 people in Northern California had been either evacuated or forced out of their homes and businesses by rising flood waters. To help spread the word about the offer, Dasch said Pacific Bell representatives plan to visit key American Red Cross evacuation shelters and provide impacted residents and businesses with information and details on how they can take advantage of the offer by calling a toll-free 800 number. The company is continuing to work with the Red Cross to provide free public pay phones for local calls by flood victims at key evacuation shelters in the hardest hit counties, including centers in Sebastapol, Woodland, Beale Air Force Base and Bear River Junior High School. On Friday, U.S. Sprint also agreed to provide free domestic long distance service from pay phones at the centers. California already has 37 counties that have been declared a state of emergency by Governor Pete Wilson, the first step toward gaining state and federal disaster relief assistance for flooding victims. Most of the problems have been caused by widespread flooding from a progression of unusually warm storms that slammed into the state earlier this week, melting several feet of snow and creating a downstream deluge on several major Northern California rivers, streams and creeks. Flood Damage Could Hit 10s Of Millions; Services To Help Ease Concerns So far, there are no official damage estimates from the Great Flood of 1997, but experts believe there has been tens of millions of dollars of damage to thousands of homes and businesses in hard-hit counties. "As Californians, we know first-hand how flooding of this magnitude can devastate lives," Smith said. "We feel we can offer the most meaningful and timely assistance by providing some relief directly to the people who have suffered losses." One of the telephone services being offered to customers is Voice Mail, which automatically answers the phone when a person is away and can't get to the phone or is already on the line. Private messages are left on Pacific Bell's system and are accessible by the customer who has a personal password. Smith said that with voice mail for residents and businesses, those affected by the floods can leave a personal message for family and friends, telling them where they are, how they're doing and what help they may need. "Friends and family members can leave messages for those affected by calling their regular phone numbers," he said. "Flood victims can check incoming messages and change their outgoing message anytime they want to from any touch-tone telephone." A second alternative to help those who have lost telephone service is Call Forwarding. Flood victims can designate a telephone number and Pacific Bell will program its equipment to forward all calls to that number. To qualify for the company's free offer, customers must call one of the Pacific Bell business offices and order the services between now and February 7. Smith said the company also will provide one working phone jack free to customers who are on its inside wire plan. For more information or to order the free services, eligible customers need to call toll free 1-800-310-BELL. Affected residents and businesses should be prepared to provide their home or business phone number to expedite the review process. In a related development, Smith said the company will provide a report at the news conference on the latest status of telephone service for Northern California residents and businesses, the health of the telecommunications network and an update on service restoration efforts for the small mountain community of Kyburz in El Dorado County. The town and its residents have been cut off from the outside world for the last two days by raging flood waters from the south fork of the American River and several rock and mud slides, which have closed portions of Highway 50. Pacific Bell is a subsidiary of Pacific Telesis Group, a San Francisco-based diversified telecommunications corporation. *Limited availability in some areas. Toll charges may apply in some areas. ------------- Mike King * Oakland, CA, USA * mk@wco.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 06 Jan 1997 00:06:57 EST From: Rob Slade Subject: Book Review: "Electronic Mail" by Radicati BKELMAIL.RVW 960927 "Electronic Mail: An Introduction to the X.400 Message Handling Standards", Sara Radicati, 1992, 0-07-051104-7 %A Sara Radicati %C 300 Water Street, Whitby, Ontario L1N 9B6 %D 1992 %G 0-07-051104-7 %I McGraw-Hill Ryerson/Osborne %O 905-430-5000 +1-800-565-5758 fax: 905-430-5020 louisea@McGrawHill.ca %P 213 %T "Electronic Mail: An Introduction to the X.400 Message Handling Standards" Two computer professionals meet at a conference. They exchange information, including email addresses. If they both have Internet email, then one will send email and the other will reply. If one has Internet email and the other has X.400 email, then the one with Internet email will send a message and the other with X.400 will reply. If they both have X.400 email, then they will phone each other. Or, at least, so goes the standard email joke. The book jacket promises that X.400 will be big soon, but I've heard that for over a decade. If anything, I am seeing fewer X.400 addresses on the net these days than I was a few years ago. Nevertheless, the X.400 standard is still something to contend with. This book does provide a good basic introduction to both the 1984 and 1988 versions of the standard. There is also some coverage of the related X.500 (directory services) and X.509 (security) standards, which have started to come into greater prominence recently, separate from X.400. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996 BKELMAIL.RVW 960927 roberts@decus.ca Rob.Slade@f733.n153.z1.fidonet.org rslade@vanisl.decus.ca Crossbows don't kill people, quarrels kill people Author "Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses" 0-387-94663-2 (800-SPRINGER) ------------------------------ From: J Rehman Subject: Japanese Signal Modulation Problem? Date: Mon, 06 Jan 1997 13:28:25 -0800 Organization: UC Irvine, Physics. Greetings, I have a problem. A friend of mine in Fukushima Japan has been having trouble connecting to the local internet provider (niftyserve) in her neigboring town (Koriyama). The modem dials, connects, and then nothing. All settings for the session are correct N-8-1 for this instance and ANSI or VT100 terminal. But we get no prompt. Is it possible that Japan uses a different modulation technique and that the modem only *thinks* it has connected? I have verfied that the modem works in the US. English speaking help is hard to come by, so I thank you for yours. It is incredible what crap internet access is in Japan. Niftyserve charges 300yen (approx US$30) per month for 2400 baud shell accounts, e-mail only. And that is a *good* deal. If anyone knows of another (better) provider, let me know. Josh ------------------------------ Subject: 805 on Growing Split List Date: Mon, 6 Jan 1997 17:43:27 PST From: tad@ssc.com (Tad Cook) 805 Zone Put on Growing Split List VENTURA, Calif. (AP) -- The area code cleavers are at it again, this time in the 805 zone including the Ventura and Santa Barbara coast, a northern slice of Los Angeles County, and much of inland San Luis Obispo and Kern counties. The split will occur by 1999, probably along an east-west line. Details will be addressed at hearings, which previously have been spirited. Burbank and Glendale, for example, went all out to stay in the 818 zone rather than the new 626 area northeast of Los Angeles. "Who keeps 805 is still up in the air," Pacific Bell spokesman David A. Dickstein said Thursday. Like a slew of other recent changes, the latest to be announced is due to demand for second lines, modems, fax machines, cell phones and pagers. California's 13 area codes will double within four years. Splits include 310, 818, 714 and 213 in greater Los Angeles; San Diego's 619; Sacramento's 916; the San Francisco Bay area's 415 and 510; 408 in Silicon Valley and the Central Coast; and 209 in the Fresno and Stockton areas. Most city officials and business owners in the 805 area code accept the fact that a split is unavoidable. "The 805 area code goes all the way to Santa Barbara and beyond. ... It seems kind of weird to me that we all have the same area code, so I guess it makes sense to split it," said Mary Price, owner of Best Books in Lancaster, in the high desert north of Los Angeles. Ventura-based Kinko's Inc. expects minor disruptions but also hopes to benefit from new stationery orders, spokeswoman Laura McCormick said. Fred Holmes, director of marketing for a Ventura-based Internet service provider, said he expects troubles as his customers dial the old number without realizing it has changed. "It's going to make our tech-support guys go crazy," Holmes said. ------------------------------ From: Ken.Gleason@valley.net (Ken Gleason) Subject: Re: Internet by Satellite Date: 7 Jan 1997 05:18:03 GMT Organization: Valley Net Here is one person interested in this technology. I live in the rural US and do not expect to ever have cable installed. I know little about it and don't have much to offer, except to mention Spread Spectrum technology, which I also know little about, but it may be related. http://wireless.oldcolo.com is a ss related website. ------------------------------ From: dave@oldcolo.com (Dave Hughes) Subject: Re: Internet by Satellite Date: 5 Jan 1997 15:26:50 GMT Organization: occ Reply-To: dave@oldcolo.com In , robgordon@usa.net (Rob Gordon) writes: > INTERNET BY SATELLITE (Repost from Technology Transfer in > International Development) > I have developed an interest in the technology of establishing > Internet connections by satellite and I would like to identify others > with similar business interests. > I made the trip to Comdex and was shocked that, at this showcase of > advanced American technology, I could find almost no one who even > understood what I was trying to accomplish. Technology firms > apparently are not oriented to doing business in countries where there > is no technology infrastructure... > ...the world do not. I think that satellite technology will be the only > way to deliver the information revolution to millions of people in the > developing world where there is a poor telecommunications infrastructure. > I would be very interested in learning if there are other companies or > individuals who are considering working with this technology. If > possible, I would like to share information on potential customers, > technical approaches, regulatory issues, investment strategies and any > other issues involving establishing new ISPs in the developing world. Yes, others indeed are working with ways and means to connect up third world countries, and are doing it sucessfully. (Use of satellites is only one approach; fiber is reaching even more world cities.) If you visit our 'NSF Wireless Field Tests' web site (http://wireless.oldcolo.com) you will see, besides our work in the US rural '3d world' (as far as technology and infrastructure is concerned) using spread spectrum no-licence digital radios to solve that 'last mile' problem, the initial reports on our project just completed in Mongolia. Linking 8 sites in Ulaanbataar, Mongolia, to the Internet, via a combination of 128Kbs PamSat, Sprintlink satellite feed , and 115kbs spread spectrum Free Wave radios from 1 to 10km. Mongolian herdsmen can now ride their Manchurian ponies up to their National Library, go in, and 'surf the net' - reaching the first several kilometers to the ground station by wireless, and the rest of the net via satellite. (You can access their web site www.magic.mn, and make reservations to stay in a 'ger' - traditional mobile Mongolian tent - as a hotel room. Sorry, we haven't got one of the 12 volt, battery powered, solar rechargable spread spectrum radios with RS232 port rigged yet, so you can access the net from the tent with a laptop. But everything in its time. :-) Right now some of our work is for the National Science Foundation with some very interested other parties in our findings and experience, both in the US and in 3d world countries. Which findings, of course, address lots more than just the 'technology' required to do this. Your comments seem to imply suprise at these 'other factors, which are often the biggest and costliest, problems. And which also deters some large US companies from trying to get into the third world telecom business, regardless of the size of the potential 'market.' We are dealing with the whole range of planning, permissions (US and foreign), initial and continuing economics, training, maintainance, support, and infrastructure 'development.' And of course, always aware of, and never suprised by, the 'politics' of PTTs, foreign governments, and even of international corporations which have reasons to resist, and fear such practical solutions to bringing the net to the 3d world. Some US companies seem to think its almost Un-American to show other countries how to connect up to the Internet cheaply and well. Even in the US there is much fear & loathing by large communications companies - especially telcos - in the successful use of no-licence digital radios in rural areas - with no corresponding local 'communications costs' - where they have been convinced that only they will be retained to connect - at whatever T-1 long line recurring costs - communities to the Internet. US West, here in Colorado, forbids their 'teachers' of communities in Internet telecom to use the term 'wireless' in their presentations to rural folk, while we merrily are linking schools from half a mile to 30 miles by no-licence wireless. (in one urban case we report on, the wireless bid was $900,000 cheaper than wired telco, up front, and $144,000 a year cheaper (in fact 'no annual cost') to operate. Between 22 sites, with minimum speed 2Mbps. Both reliable and secure. And the latest radios can do 10Mbps over 25 miles, no-licence where the radio cost can be amortized in less than a year. At the moment I am reaching you from my 'home office' to and through our Old Colorado City Communications 'office-office' at 1Mbps, no comm cost using Israeli-built Breezecom radios we are testing - which we will presently hook up to 7 miles at 3Mbps, for capital costs of less than $1,500 per radio. And drop our telco local loop lines. So its the combination of satellite (or fiber terminating in a city), the digital wireless, AND very careful attention to what they are connected to and through in-country, and who is going to operate it after installation, as well as end-to-end economics that requires expertise you won't find on display shelves at Comdex. We have it, its growing, and we know we are right. Ask any decendent of Ghengis Khan. Dave Hughes dave@oldcolo.com ------------------------------ From: scottp@mindspring.com (scottp) Subject: Re: Internet by Satellite Date: Sun, 05 Jan 1997 00:32:10 GMT Organization: ABSI Telecom Atlanta Reply-To: scottp@mindspring.com This is nothing new; people set up satellites all the time to by-pass the local phone company. With voice, there is a short delay but the saving out weight the quality, data is as fast as you can afford. So what's the major problem with this is set up, is not legal with the local government and if they find out, your packing your bags. I have set up a few call centers in the West Indies and South America. Satellites are the best, up to 8 T1 on just one dish. Just a Thought, Posi ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V17 #2 ****************************