Return-Path: Received: by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.7.4/NSCS-1.0S) id XAA00853; Wed, 8 Jan 1997 23:27:24 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 23:27:24 -0500 (EST) From: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu (TELECOM Digest Editor) Message-Id: <199701090427.XAA00853@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson@massis.lcs.mit.edu Subject: TELECOM Digest V17 #3 TELECOM Digest Wed, 8 Jan 97 23:27:00 EST Volume 17 : Issue 3 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Book Review: "Understanding ATM" by Schatt (Rob Slade) SBC Offers Landline Service in New York State (John Cropper) Petition Filed For Relief in 212, 917 (John Cropper) Montgomery County, MD: "In Emergency, Dial 711" (Paul Robinson) US-TX-DFW Radio Network Distribution Project Manager (Greg Monti) Nynex Response to MCI Complaint (Jeff Gluck, Nynex via Mike Pollack) This Date in Telecom History - Divestiture (Mark J. Cuccia) 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 mirror.lcs.mit.edu. The URL is: http://mirror.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives They can also be accessed using anonymous ftp: ftp mirror.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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 14:14:18 EST From: Rob Slade Subject: Book Review: "Understanding ATM" by Schatt BKUNDATM.RVW 961012 "Understanding ATM", Stan Schatt, 1996, 0-07-057679-3, C$65.95 %A Stan Schatt %C 300 Water Street, Whitby, Ontario L1N 9B6 %D 1996 %G 0-07-057679-3 %I McGraw-Hill Ryerson/Osborne %O C$65.95 905-430-5000 800-565-5758 fax: 905-430-5020 louisea@McGrawHill.ca %P 239 %T "Understanding ATM" Recently I was dealing with a small company that was bringing Internet service inhouse for the first time. To my certain knowledge, the person in charge of the project had not done enough research on the matter of service providers. When I asked him about his certainty that his choice of ISP was the one to go with, he replied, with the air of one who knows his argument is unbeatable, that the chosen ISP was the only one that used ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode). ATM has very decided advantages, but primarily for those managing very large, diverse networks, with mixed data, voice, and even video traffic. A company in a single office, with no interest in amalgamating its existing low traffic Ethernet and simple PBX, and merely wanting to add email and a Web site to its operations, is a poor candidate for ATM. All of which is by way of saying that while ATM is currently a powerful buzzword, it is one that is exceedingly poorly understood. Therefore, Schatt's book is very welcome, as the first explanation I've found that deals with the realities of the technology at a level that doesn't require an engineering background. The author first deals with the basics of networks, and the collapse of backbone cables into hubs and switches. He then gives a thorough background overview of the concepts and functions of ATM and related technologies, without needing to show off a bit level knowledge of framing and packets. There is also very good coverage of ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network), which is closely related to ATM use in WANs (Wide Area Networks) and sometimes gets confused with ATM itself. The second half of the book is equally practical, containing an overview of product lines and strategies from major ATM vendors. Each section ends with a very useful "Should [this company] Be Your ATM Vendor?" piece, which analyses the strengths and weaknesses in respect to your existing equipment and requirements. Schatt could have included some introduction on who is *not* likely to need ATM service. Nevertheless, this is my current recommendation for those who are not already telephone engineers but need to know what the hoopla is about. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1996 BKUNDATM.RVW 961012 DECUS Canada Communications, Desktop, Education and Security group newsletters Editor and/or reviewer ROBERTS@decus.ca rslade@vanisl.decus.ca BCVAXLUG Envoy http://www.decus.ca/www/lugs/bcvaxlug.html ------------------------------ From: John Cropper Subject: SBC Offers Landline Service in New York State Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 16:42:51 -0500 Organization: MindSpring Reply-To: psyber@mindspring.com SBC Communications Becomes First Former RBOC to Offer Local Landline Service Outside Traditional Service Region SBC's Cellular One Affiliate Brings Rochester, NY, Consumers, Businesses 'One-Stop Shopping' for Entire Range of Telecommunications Services. San Antonio, TX, January 6, 1997 -- SBC Communications Inc. today announced its Cellular One property in Rochester, NY, is marketing local landline telephone service, making the company a full-service telecommunications provider in the city and marking the first time a former Regional Bell Operating Company through an affiliate has offered local landline service outside of its traditional multi-state region since the 1984 divestiture. Rochester residents now can look to Cellular One for local and long-distance wireless service, paging, Internet access, as well as local and long-distance landline service. Cellular One is the brand name under which SBC Communications Inc., through its affiliates, operates outside its traditional five-state service area. Rochester is the first city in which Cellular One has offered local landline phone service and it also is the company's first complete "one-stop shopping" location. Residents and businesses in Rochester will be able to choose services that meet their needs either individually or as part of value-added incentive packages. Cellular One customers will deal with a single point of contact and, if they choose, receive a single bill each month. "We're the first former RBOC to offer local service outside of our traditional service area and to build a 'one-stop shopping' center for telecommunications services," said Stan Sigman, president and CEO of Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, who has responsibility for Cellular One. "According to our research, 70 percent of consumers say they want the convenience and value of dealing with a single source for telecomm- unications," Sigman said. Rochester has become a leading market for new providers, and Cellular One expects to add local service in other New York cities including Buffalo, Syracuse and Albany during 1997. The company's Cellular One affiliate in Illinois also has received approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission to offer local service in Chicago, but must still file local service tariffs and finalize marketing plans before offering the service. "Cellular One is ready to provide Rochester with the high-quality, high-value service our customers expect," said Sigman. "We will have a real presence in the market with our own service technicians and trucks." The company will offer local service at competitive rates and customers will be able to make the switch to Cellular One for free, Sigman said. Consumers will be able to sign-up for the new local service at Cellular One retail stores or by calling 1-800-CELLONE. The company will rely on face-to-face contact to educate customers about Cellular One. SBC expects that eventually it will offer "one-stop shopping" throughout its traditional five state service area of Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma and through its operating subsidiaries to consumers in all of their markets. The company recently added Internet access in several cities and is offering long-distance service for its wireless customers. "We expect to offer landline long-distance for customers in our traditional service areas by the third quarter of 1997, pending regulatory approval," Sigman said. Cellular One, together with its Southwestern Bell Wireless affiliate, is the nation's second-largest wireless company, with an industry-leading 10.1 percent market penetration rate. Cellular One is the brand under which SBC Communications Inc., one of the world's leading diversified telecommunications companies, markets its services outside its traditional service area. SBC's businesses include Southwestern Bell Telephone; wireless services and equipment in the U.S. and interests in Europe, Latin America, South Africa and Asia; business and consumer telecommunications equipment; messaging; cable TV in domestic and international markets; and directory advertising and publishing. John Cropper voice: 888.NPA.NFO2 LINCS 609.637.9434 PO Box 277 fax: 609.637.9430 Pennington, NJ 08534-0277 mailto:psyber@mindspring.com http://206.112.101.209/jcbt2n/lincs/ ------------------------------ From: John Cropper Subject: Petition Filed For Relief in 212, 917 Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 17:18:04 -0500 Organization: MindSpring Reply-To: psyber@mindspring.com >From the NYPSC: STATE OF NEW YORK PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION At a session of the Public Service Commission held in the City of Albany on December 18, 1996 COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: John F. O'Mara, Chairman Eugene W. Zeltmann Thomas J. Dunleavy CASE 96-C-1158- Proceeding on Motion of the Commission to Investigate the Options for Making Additional Central Office Codes Available in the 212 and 917 Area Codes in New York City. ORDER INSTITUTING PROCEEDING (Issued and Effective December 31, 1996) BY THE COMMISSION: The attached memorandum advises that New York Telephone Company (NYT) may run out of available central office codes in the 212 area code sometime in 1998 and in the 917 area code sometime in 1999. The 212 area code currently serves the New York City Borough of Manhattan and the 917 area code serves primarily wireless (cellular and paging) customers in all five of New York City's Boroughs. Prompt and timely action must be taken to ensure the continued availability of new telephone numbers in New York City. To address this problem, we will institute a proceeding, pursuant to Section 97(2) of the Public Service Law, to determine the best way to provide additional central office and area codes in New York City. New York Telephone will be required to provide, within 60 days, its written analysis of: alternative methods of relief and its proposals for solving the central office code shortage. NYT should address the relative merits (pros, cons, and required timetables) of various alternatives, including geographic split and overlay, and provide its own proposals and timetables for avoiding central office code exhaust, with consideration to the Telecommunications Act of 1996 ("1996 Act") and the FCC's Second Report and Order Addressing Area Code Relief ("FCC Order"). In addressing the pros and cons of each alternative, NYT should also address the need to impose telephone number changes on subscribers and the measures it has taken, or is taking, to conserve available telephone numbers and central office codes to forestall code exhaust. The general public and other interested parties should also have an opportunity to present their views and recommendations. NYT should consult with staff of our Consumer Services Division to design and implement a plan to inform all potentially-affected customers of this proceeding so that consumer input can be factored into the development and evaluation of alternative proposals and timetables. In addition, pursuant to the schedule to be set subsequently, parties will be given an opportunity to address the company's proposals as well as Commission's obligations, if any, under the 1996 Act, and the impact, if any, of the FCC Order. In order to provide adequate time for the implementation of any required changes we expect this proceeding to be completed by the end of the third quarter of 1997. The Commission Orders: 1. A proceeding is hereby instituted to evaluate the options available to address the potential exhaustion of central office codes in the 212 and 917 area codes in New York City. 2. This matter is referred to the Office of Administrative Hearings for the assignment of an Administrative Law Judge to preside over the proceeding. 3. Within 60 days of the issuance of this order, New York Telephone Company is directed to file a written report, as described in the body of this Order, addressing its proposals to resolve this problem. The company shall file 15 copies of said report with the Secretary to the Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York, 12223-1350. 4. Persons interested in receiving copies of New York Telephone's filing should notify the Secretary, in writing, of their request by January 15, 1997. Subsequently, a list of interested parties will be prepared. 5. This proceeding is continued. By the Commission, (SIGNED) JOHN C. CRARY Secretary --------------------------------------------------- John Cropper voice: 888.NPA.NFO2 LINCS 609.637.9434 PO Box 277 fax: 609.637.9430 Pennington, NJ 08534-0277 mailto:psyber@mindspring.com http://206.112.101.209/jcbt2n/lincs/ ------------------------------ From: Paul Robinson Subject: Montgomery County, MD: "In Emergency, Dial 711" Date: Wed, 08 Jan 1997 04:55:36 -0500 Organization: Evergreen Software Some weeks ago I mentioned that I discovered that Bell Atlantic has 811 set up as the DTAC number (that reads back the telephone number you are calling from). Well, someone noted that some of the other X11 numbers are being used for other purposes, such as access to TDD relay service, so I decided to see if 711 was being used for anything. I dialed 711 and waited a moment. Then I got a ringing sound, and I wanted to see what happened. I figured I'd get a {SIT} three-tone and a recording to tell me to dial again. What I got was a woman answering: "Montgomery County 911, do you need police, fire or ambulance?" So, I told her that I had dialed it by mistake, that I had dialed 711 instead, then I hung up; I knew better than not to. Not here, anyway. About two years ago in upper Montgomery County, {someone} at a house called 911 but either didn't say anything or didn't give much information, so County Police went out there but didn't find anything unusual or out of the ordinary. Later, a neighbor discovered the whole family had been murdered, and several months later a man who was visiting them would plead guilty to the crime. The police department took a lot of heat over this, even though there was probably very little the officers could have done which might have changed things. As a result of this, in this county, if you call 911 by mistake, you had better stay on the line and tell them, because any call to 911, if it is disconnected by the caller at any time prior to the call going through and speaking to the operator, even if it was 1/2 of one ring, such as misdialing 911 instead of 611, the 911 operator will call back. Paul Robinson (formerly PAUL@TDR.COM) ------------------------------ From: gmonti@mindspring.com (Greg Monti) Subject: US-TX-DFW Radio Network Distribution Project Manager Date: 8 Jan 1997 04:48:22 GMT Organization: MindSpring Enterprises There is a job opening at ABC Radio Networks in which you may be interested. Description: Project Manager/Engineer: Responsible for the development of new computer based distribution facilities for the radio network. Candidate must have working knowledge of broadcast audio satellite headend and receiver systems including high speed multiplexers. Candidate will work with telecommunications hardware and software vendors in designing, constructing and maintaining ABC Radio Networks' satellite and fiber optic systems. Excellent communications skills are required. Ability to negotiate vendor contracts must be demonstrated. Candidate must be fully trained in Microsoft Office suite including Project. Five years experience in broadcast audio telecommunications, audio compression technology, including MPEG2, APTX, and Dolby AC2 algorithms, is also required. This position will be based in Dallas, Texas, and will involve travel. Please send a resume and references to: Greg Monti, General Manager, Project Engineering ABC Radio Networks, Inc. 125 West End Avenue New York, NY 10023 voice 212 456-5603 fax 212 456-5622 text pager 800 229-4218 e-mail gmonti@abc.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 10:43:20 -0800 From: Mike Pollock Subject: Nynex Response to MCI Complaint <---- Begin Forwarded Message ----> From: Jeff_Gluck@SMTP.NYNEX.COM To: pheel@sprynet.com Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 13:30:40 -0400 Subject: MCI Complaint Jeff Gluck 01-08-97 01:30 PM Mike - I was poking around newsgroups and came across your posting of an MCI release criticizing us. Thought you might like the NYNEX side of the story. Jeff Gluck NYNEX Media Relations 212-395-2353 Jeff_Gluck@SMTP.nynex.com December 30, 1996 CONTACT: Bob Varettoni on 212-395-0500 MCI Makes Inaccurate Claims About NYNEX Re-sale Systems NEW YORK -- NYNEX today called recent MCI claims about the company's industry leading re-sale ordering systems "irresponsible and inaccurate." In early October, NYNEX was first to open a Resale Services Center to allow other telecommunications carriers to electronically interface with NYNEX systems to re-sell local services to business and residence customers throughout New York State. Carriers can access NYNEX systems using either "app-to-app" (application-to-application) or "GUI" (graphical user interface) systems. In a recent press release, MCI addressed only the GUI method and exhibited either a deliberate intent to mislead or a gross misunderstanding of the available interface, input, storage and retrieval options. Jack Goldberg, NYNEX vice president for Wholesale Markets, issued the following statement: "MCI's assertions are irresponsible and inaccurate. Its claims are not based on any experience it has in working with our order-entry systems since MCI has made no serious effort to understand or use them. "For the past three months, a dozen companies have been using our industry-leading systems to generate thousands of lines of new business a week. Meanwhile, MCI has chosen to stand on the sidelines and issue press releases instead of customer orders. "Either MCI hasn't done its homework, or it has some other agenda. What they'd really like is to disparage our pro-competitive initiatives and delay our entry into the less-than-competitive long distance market." Fact Sheet on Resale At NYNEX On Oct. 8, 1996 -- with the grand opening of the NYNEX Resale Center in New York City -- NYNEX began offering to resellers virtually all its retail products and services at a discount. Since then, resellers in New York have been able to buy basic local phone service and repackage and sell that service to residence and business customers. We expect to begin accepting resale orders in New England states in the first quarter of 1997. Resale of local services is mandated by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and state regulators. In New York, the Public Service Commission has set discount rates of 19.1% on both business and residential lines. If the reseller provides its own operator services (once that capability is available) the discount rate can increase to 21.7%. Preparation for NYNEX's entry into the resale business began in July 1995 when we formed our Resale Services organization. That group now has more than 130 employees. Qualified resellers include former resale customers as well as such new entrants as long-distance carriers. In New York, we currently serve 12 resellers and have resold more than 8,000 lines in the Resale Center's first three months of operation. We expect to be serving 30-50 qualified resellers within six months, and to have hundreds of thousands of resold lines by the end of 1997. NYNEX's resale efforts are expected to satisfy one of the 14 points in the FCC's competitive checklist that would allow NYNEX's entry into long-distance markets. The electronic interfaces available to resellers -- via the Internet (through a unique graphical user interface developed by NYNEX), EDI (an industry-standard interface) or an easy-to-use NYNEX-proprietary interface -- are designed to fulfill checklist requirements. Our electronic interfaces allow resellers easy access to NYNEX systems for purposes of pre-ordering and ordering products and services. It also provides easy on-line access to maintenance, trouble-reporting and billing systems. NYNEX's Position NYNEX is leading the way in resale and other pro-competitive efforts. We've been working on resale processes for more than a year to make this a success. We see this as a great business opportunity. Competition will grow the market and we want other companies to partner with us for the future. One of our key resale objectives is to be easy to do business with. We want to develop a robust wholesale business. This is also an important step toward opening NYNEX's network -- one that moves us closer to providing long-distance service within our region. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 08 Jan 1997 10:52:50 -0800 From: Mark J. Cuccia Subject: This Date in Telecom History - Divestiture It was on this date (8-January) fifteen years ago in 1982, that the 'old' AT&T (as head of the "one Bell System") announced to the U.S. Dept. of (in)Justice, that it would divest itself of its (twenty-two) wholly-owned local Bell Operating (telephone) Companies. This consent decree was supposed end the federal antitrust lawsuit that DOJ filed against the Bell System in the mid-70's. Back in the mid-70's, DOJ wanted AT&T to divest itself of Western Electric and possibly Bell Labs. However, in the divestiture announced on 8-January-1982 (which took effect 1-January-1984), AT&T kept Western Electric and Bell Labs, but spun-off the twenty-two local BOC's into seven new regional Bell holding companies. More recently, AT&T spun-off Bell Labs and what used to be known as Western Electric, into Lucent. The count of twenty-two BOC's doesn't include Southern New England Telephone nor Cincinnati Bell, of which AT&T only held a minority share back in the old Bell System days. And at the time of divestiture, both 'went their own ways' as 'independent' telcos and were *not* placed under NYNEX nor Ameritech. However, the total of twenty-two BOC's *does* count C&P (Chesapeake and Potomac) *four* times, as: C & P - Maryland C & P - D.C. C & P - Virginia C & P - West Virginia BTW, Bell Canada is *not* counted in this total of twenty-two BOC's. Since the 1956 consent-decree, Bell Canada with Northern Electric became more and more separated from AT&T and Western Electric. By the early 1970's, AT&T only held about two percent of holdings of Bell Canada. Also in the early 1970's, Bell Northern Research was created by Bell Canada and Northern Electric as a uniquely Canadian R&D version similar to AT&T/WECo's Bell Labs. In 1975, AT&T/WECo and NECo/Bell-Canada officially terminated what remained of their license and service agreements. Northern Electric had become Northern Telecom; BNR and NT are presently referred to as Nortel. As for divestiture and competition ... it never seems to end. There are more entities out there than ever, involved as carriers, resellers, manufacturers, promoters, etc. of all forms of telecommunications. Also, there is the "Telecommunications Bill" of 1996, signed into law last year. But fifteen years ago, who would have thought that the "one Bell System" would have agreed to split itself up at all! MARK J. CUCCIA PHONE/WRITE/WIRE/CABLE: HOME: (USA) Tel: CHestnut 1-2497 WORK: mcuccia@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu |4710 Wright Road| (+1-504-241-2497) Tel:UNiversity 5-5954(+1-504-865-5954)|New Orleans 28 |fwds on no-answr to Fax:UNiversity 5-5917(+1-504-865-5917)|Louisiana(70128)|cellular/voicemail ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V17 #3 ****************************