Return-Path: Received: by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.7.4/NSCS-1.0S) id VAA11146; Mon, 22 Sep 1997 21:06:08 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 21:06:08 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <199709230106.VAA11146@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson Subject: TELECOM Digest V17 #257 TELECOM Digest Mon, 22 Sep 97 21:06:00 EDT Volume 17 : Issue 257 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Tonight's Monday Night Bandwidth Chat 7-8PM Pacific Time (Peter J Harrison) BellSouth Can't Tell Time (John E. Connerat) SprintPCS Long Delay Before Voicemail (Rick Strobel) Long Distance Information? Don't Count on It (Steve Bunning) Here We Go _Again_ ... AT&T National Directory Assistance (Jay R. Ashworth) AT&T Tests New DA Service (Tad Cook) Radio Vigilantes (Ed Ellers) Insight on ABC's 20/20 (Tara D. Mahon) Call for International Testers (Mike Fine) New and Existing NPA/NXX Index? (Thad Jacobs) Hooking Up Two Computers to a Cable Modem? (Marc Baime) Re: AGIS Pulls Plug on Cyberpromo Due to Ping Attack (John Nagle) Re: AGIS Pulls Plug on Cyberpromo Due to Ping Attack (Bruce Pennypacker) Re: AGIS Pulls Plug on Cyberpromo Due to Ping Attack (Kevin Podsiadlik) 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: * telecom-request@telecom-digest.org * 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: 847-727-5427 Fax: 773-539-4630 ** Article submission address: editor@telecom-digest.org ** Our archives are available for your review/research. The URL is: http://telecom-digest.org They can also be accessed using anonymous ftp: ftp hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives (or use our mirror site: ftp ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) A third method is the Telecom Email Information Service: Send a note to archives@telecom-digest.org 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. 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Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: PeterH_MSN@msn.com (Peter John Harrison) Subject: Tonight's Monday Night Bandwidth Chat 7-8PM Pacific Time Date: 22 Sep 1997 19:41:28 GMT Organization: Peter's Bandwidth Fontier on The Microsoft Network Tonight 7-8PM, Pacific Time on the *Monday Night Bandwidth Chat*! Come learn about going Wireless with Metricom's Wireless Modems! Ever wished you could log on from your favorite coffee shop? Your back yard? How about just stop tying up your phone line? A wireless modem and Internet service like Metricom's could be just what you need! Come talk with Metricom's Greg Dalzell. Greg is the Metricom's Director of Product Marketing at Metricom. This is your opportunity to learn something about how packet modems work, and how to go wireless without paying for a cell phone. So come join us from 7-8PM, Pacific Time for our weekly *Monday Night Bandwidth Chat*, Hosted by Peter John Harrison. To enter the chat, go to http://207.68.136.82/bandwidth/category1/01c1ts.asp To get some background on wireless modems, see the current issue of *Bandwidth: Focus on Technology* at http://207.68.136.82/bandwidth/category1/forum5/cool/focus.htm See you online! Peter John Harrison MSN Forum Manager, *Peter's Bandwidth Frontier* http://forums.msn.com/bandwidth/ ISDN? Cable Modems? ADSL/xDSL? Satellite Downlinks? The Bandwidth Forum on MSN -- A place to find the amswers. Hosted by Peter Harrison at http://forums.msn.com/bandwidth (Trial memberships available via MSN at http://www.msn.com) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 16:52:12 -0400 From: John E. Connerat Subject: BellSouth Can't Tell Time I recently moved to 706-208 (Athens, Georgia), where I signed up for "Memory Call" -- BellSouth's voicemail service. Since the very beginning of my service, the time stamp on my incoming messages has been 12 minutes fast. Assuming that this was an anomalous quirk, I did nothing about it for several days. When the problem didn't resolve itself, I called BellSouth repair. The agent with whom I spoke was in great disbelief, until I had her call my line, leave a test message, and let her listen in as I checked it. She proclaimed that, "it must be wrong for everyone in your area. How can that be?" I proceeded to tell her that it had been wrong for days. She said that it would be fixed in 24-48 hours. I subsequently got a voice mail message from a human saying that my problem had been fixed (with the wrong time stamp again). Since it had not been fixed, I called back a week later, and went through the same routine, explaining to this new agent that I had indeed called before, and it really, really was broken. Despite the same initial disbelief, she was convinced that indeed it was broken and said she'd make sure it was repaired! 24 hours later I get an automated message left on my voice mail proclaiming that "the problem I reported had been fixed." Guess what? It's not! Can anyone possibly fathom an explanation why all the techs involved in the 706-208 Memory Call believe it's 12 minutes later than it really is? Wouldn't this mess up all sorts of records, and wouldn't you think a herd of customers other than me might be inquiring? I'm puzzled. John E. Connerat Athens, GA TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: They do not 'believe it is 12 minutes later than it really is ...' What they are doing -- and had hoped you would take a hint by now -- is closing your trouble tickets with no action taken; just putting it down as a crank caller and letting it go at that. They do not understand what you are talking about or what it is you want done. Maybe the first person who answers your call eventually figures it out, but like the old game called 'Chinese Telephone' by the time the ticket works its way around through the maze and gets to some technician that person has no idea what you wanted. Or maybe he does, but wonders why you would be the one to report it instead of one of his own kind so he closes the ticket and someone calls you and says 'all good now'. PAT] ------------------------------ From: rstrobel@infotime.com (Rick Strobel) Subject: SprintPCS Long Delay Before Voicemail Date: Tue, 23 Sep 97 01:01:51 GMT Organization: InfoTime, Inc. Sprint just upgraded to a new voicemail system that is supposed to work, unlike the original one. I waited six months for it. After the specified number of rings to my phone (about four or five) there is a long pause of nine to twelve seconds before the voicemail system picks up. I rely on this voicemail for my small business. I have call forwarding busy/no answer on my main business line that forwards to my PCS phone. That way if the call can't be answered then I know the caller will at least reach voicemail. But, I'm afraid that after several rings and three "rings" worth of dead air, many callers will just hang up -- and I could lose a sale. I need to address this with my rep. again. Can anyone provide any data that might say "xyz study found that callers assume the line is dead after 12 seconds of no sound ... and hang up..."? Thanks in advance for any advice or info. Rick Strobel | | InfoTime Fax Communications | Fax-on-Demand | 502-426-4279 | & | 502-426-3721 fax | Fax Broadcast | rstrobel@infotime.com | Services | http://www.infotime.com | | ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 16:40:55 -0400 From: Steve Bunning Subject: Long Distance Information? Don't Count on It There is a front page article in the print edition of Sunday's {Washington Post} titled "Long-Distance Information? Don't Count on It" which highlights the problem with getting up-to-date and reliable long distance information via NPA-555-1212. While this is old news to TELECOM Digest readers, the mass media now seems to have picked up on the issue. Here is a link to the electronic version of the article. http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-09/21/243l-092197-idx.html Steve Bunning | ACE*COMM | 301 721-3023 (voice) Product Manager | 704 Quince Orchard Road | 301 721-3001 (fax) TEL*COMM Division| Gaithersburg, MD USA 20878 | sbunning@acecomm.com NASDAQ:ACEC | "CDRs in Real-Time" | WWW= www.acecomm.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 14:58:27 -0400 From: Jay R. Ashworth Subject: Here We Go _Again_ ... AT&T National Directory Assistance Organization: Ashworth & Associates, St Pete FL USA The following article was seen on the AP wire, and is included here for commentary, under the fair use provision of US Copyright law. [ ... ] AT&T on Monday began testing its new ``00'' Info national directory assistance service in Minneapolis, Seattle, Phoenix, Denver and Portland, Ore. By dialing ``00'' customers in those areas will be able to obtain telephone listings for any place in the United States - even if they don't know the area code or city. [ ... ] Um, does AT&T not realize that "00" is _taken_ as a dialable? Cheers, Jay R. Ashworth jra@baylink.com Member of the Technical Staff Unsolicited Commercial Emailers Sued The Suncoast Freenet "People propose, science studies, technology Tampa Bay, Florida conforms." -- Dr. Don Norman +1 813 790 7592 ------------------------------ Subject: AT&T Tests New DA Service Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 10:17:12 PDT From: tad@ssc.com (Tad Cook) AT&T Tests New `00` Info Directory Assistance Service - Directory Assistance the Way Customers Really Want It - BASKING RIDGE, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--September 22, 1997--AT&T today announced a market trial of its new AT&T `00` INFO(sm) (Double-0 Info) national directory assistance service that allows AT&T customers to obtain a telephone listing for any place in the United States with one simple phone call - even if they don't have the area code or exact city. The `00` INFO service trial begins today in Seattle, Denver, Phoenix, Minneapolis, and Portland, Ore. In marked contrast to the industry trend to provide fully automated directory assistance, AT&T `00` INFO Service features personal, courteous, helpful service from specially trained AT&T information assistants who will stay on the line for the entire call. From the moment they greet the customer by introducing themselves, AT&T assistants are there to help customers simplify their lives, by searching for a directory listing with as little information as a partial name and a locality or state. And AT&T assistants will stay with the customer through the end of the call when they provide the requested information. `We're providing directory assistance the way customers really want it,` said Howard McNally, vice president of AT&T Consumer Markets Division. `AT&T is bringing back the personal touch. Not only will we stay on the line with our customers, but we'll do everything in our power to meet their needs -- using enhanced search features to find the listings they want, and even the address and zip code, if that's what they need.` AT&T `00` INFO takes directory assistance to a higher level of customer service, providing a renewed emphasis on personal service that is supported by several new search capabilities: -- A new expanded search capability allows AT&T information assistants to extend a directory search to surrounding communities when they can't find a requested listing in a designated city or town - even if the caller doesn't know what those communities are. -- A key word search function allows AT&T information assistants to search for a business listing when the caller doesn't know the full or exact name of the business. This search will find the listing if the key word appears anywhere in the name. AT&T's new `00` INFO Service makes it easier for callers to use directory assistance. They no longer need to remember multiple numbers for directory assistance. And they don't need to know the area code. Customers need only dial one simple number to reach an AT&T information assistant who will help them find telephone listings anywhere in the United States. During the market trial, AT&T is offering the new AT&T `00` INFO Service at the same 95-cent price that it charges for conventional directory assistance. With `00` INFO Service customers can get unlimited listings per call, but pay 95-cents for every two listings. AT&T customers in the five test markets can use `00` INFO from their home phones, or when they are away from home, by dialing 1-800-CALL-ATT. The AT&T `00` INFO directory assistance service trial is limited to listings in the United States. ------------------------------ From: Ed Ellers Subject: Radio Vigilantes Date: 22 Sep 1997 13:05:19 GMT Organization: AT&T WorldNet Services Our Moderator noted in reply: > I think back to the olden days of Citizens Band Radio when it was in > its glory and how after periods of massive interference and static > caused by CB'ers operating illegally certain vigilantes would go out > late at night to use triangulation to locate the offender. When > located, indeed the response was pretty ugly. > Antennas would be toppled over, the coaxial cable would be sliced in > several pieces; if possible, the vigilantes would gain entrance to the > premises and totally destroy the radio. By the time it was finished > and the vigilantes left, the illegal CB-er would be wishing it was the > FCC which had raided him instead." There are reports out of Elkhart, Indiana, that two people who have taken a dislike to the operators of a local amateur radio repeater have been devising some ingenious ways of jamming it (as opposed to just transmitting jamming signals from their own location). For one thing, they put small jammer transmitters inside beach balls and left them at the beach. In another incident, they bought a new TV set from Wal-Mart, installed a jammer inside, repacked it and returned it for a refund; Wal-Mart then resold the TV to an innocent customer who didn't know that he was "interfering with" emergency communications. Supposedly one of their jammers even included a seismometer to shut it down if it detected people walking near it (say, with direction-finding receivers). The Elkhart police know who these characters are but have no jurisdiction in the case; there has been no word on any action by the FCC. [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: The Elkhart police most certainly would have jurisdiction in some aspects of it. The incident with the television set which was tampered with and returned constitutes fraud against Wal-Mart and the re-buyer of the merchandise. The behavior in general of the individuals involved would also most certainly qualify as disorderly conduct and the Elkhart police could act on that as well. Furthermore, police are charged with the duty of enforcing *all laws* whether of a local, state or federal nature, however they would of course refer a federal matter to federal authorities. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Sep 97 11:36:32 +0100 From: Tara D. Mahon Subject: Insight on ABC's 20/20 Hi Pat and list, Insight Research is pleased to announce that Michael French, our VP of Market Research, will be appearing on the Thursday night edition of ABC's award-winning 20/20 news magazine program. Mr. French was interviewed as an expert on telecom fraud. The segment, to be aired next Thursday, September 25, is reported by 20/20 correspondent Arnold Diaz. Please check your local listings for channel and time (20/20 airs 10pm EST). Insight Research would be pleased to discuss the issue of telecom fraud, the opportunities to control it, and how it may apply to your strategic plans. For further discussions, please contact Michael French at (973) 605-1400, or via e-mail at michael@mf.insight-corp.com. Regards, Tara D. Mahon tara@tm.insight-corp.com The Insight Research Corporation www.insight-corp.com Gatehall I, One Gatehall Dr. 973-605-1400 phone Parsippany, NJ 07054 973-605-1440 fax ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 13:17:27 -0400 From: mcctest@aol.com (Mike Fine) Organization: AOL http://www.aol.com Subject: Call for International Testers CALL FOR BETA TEST PARTICIPANTS 3Com Corportation's Mobile Communication Division is looking for 40 people to participate in a Beta Test. This test will test the new x2 technology and explore international aspects of modem operation. Qualified Applicants must have the following: -Laptop Computer with PCMCIA or Cardbus Slot -Complete Internet Access including FTP, WWW, and E-Mail -Understanding of modem technology -Ability to dedicate time to testing Acceptance into our test program provides the following benefits: -Test the latest in technology -Opportunity to keep the product -Opportunity to participate in other tests Please visit the following web site no later than 09/26/97 and complete an application: http://beta.mhz.com/ For more information, please contact: Mike Fine Beta Test Supervisor 3Com Corporation Mobile Communications Division E-mail: mfine@mhz.com Voice: 801-320-7561 Fax: 801-320-6009 -Test Participants will be expected to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement -Testing is Global. Participation is open to residents of the following countries: Canada Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Bolivia Brazil Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Czech Republic Denmark Ecuador Egypt Finland France Germany Greece Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Japan Luxembourg Mexico Netherlands New Zealand North Korea Norway Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Romania CIS Saudi Arabia Singapore South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Yugoslavia United Kingdom Venezuela ------------------------------ From: Thad Jacobs Subject: New and Existing NPA/NXX Index? Organization: IAS Date: 22 Sep 97 17:43:29 GMT Is there an online location to obtain, new and existing NPA and NXX's by state for the whole country? Is there a list of new ones to come and when their proposed effective date is as well? ------------------------------ From: Marc Baime Subject: Hooking Up Two Computers to a Cable Modem? Date: Sun, 21 Sep 1997 01:27:05 -0400 Organization: Road Runner If possible, I would appreciate some detailed direction on what to get and how to setup for a second computer on a single cable modem. Can both machines run at the same time? Do I need a multiplexer? A hub? Where does the cable need to be split? Before coming into the cable modem? Coming out of the cable modem? I have a NEC2000 ethernet card I used to use for a two PC Novell lan that I had set up in my home ... can I use this card? Are there any books on this subject? Any literature on the web? All replies appreciated. Please respond to mbaime1@tampabay.rr.com with any information on this subject. Probably be nice if you responded to the group also as I'm sure many inquiring minds would like to know. Thanks in advance, Marc Baime ------------------------------ From: nagle@netcom.com (John Nagle) Subject: Re: AGIS Pulls Plug on Cyberpromo Due to Ping Attack Organization: Netcom On-Line Services Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 03:28:18 GMT bowenb@best.com (William H. Bowen) writes: > BTW, I still think the only thing that will dissuade Spamford and > his ilk is a direct physical attack (a commando raid) on his operation > and put it out of business. A little drastic maybe, but, as the Sean > Connery character said in the movie "The Untouchables": "if he brings > a knife, you bring a gun. If he puts one of yours in the hospital, put > one of his in the morgue". I suggest simply redirecting any spam you get from anybody, especially if it has any forged address information, or any hint of a false health claim or other scam, to the new Federal Trade Commmission spam reporting point, "uce@ftc.gov". The FTC has the power to take action, so send them the evidence they need to do so. John Nagle ------------------------------ From: Bruce Pennypacker Subject: Re: AGIS Pulls Plug on Cyberpromo Due to Ping Attack Date: 22 Sep 1997 13:33:37 GMT Organization: Applied Language Technologies > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What a rotten shame! So is Spamford > still out of service or has he managed to snooker other ISP's and/or > networks, etc into handling his nasty traffic? I wondered why my > inbox had so little spam when I checked it early today, and now I > know. Whoever was doing the pinging which caused this to happen, you > have the heartiest congratulations of net-people everywhere. PAT] Pat, The latest I gathered from reading through the weekend of posts in news.admin.net-abuse.email is that Cyberpromo was kicked off a total of four ISP's in 24 hours (some sort of record?) and currently isn't getting connectivity through anybody. Just try accessing http://www.cyberpromo.com and you'll see. There's an article on this at http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,14429,00.html?latest that gives some details. According to AGIS themselves, Cyberpromo, Quantum, and NacyNet were all kicked off for "security issues" and not this ping attack that has been reported. Check out the AGIS network operation at http://www.agis.net/outages.htm to see what little AGIS has said about it. The rumors are flying about why AGIS did this, and so far it doesn't appear that there are a lot of facts. I'm sure that all the details well be posted here as well as on news.admin.net-abuse.email as well as other places as quickly as we all learn them. By the way, the Cyberpromo parody page at http://members.aol.com/macabrus/thyberpromo.html has also been updated as a result of this new chapter in the saga of spam. Bruce [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I tried to connect just now with www.cyberpromo.com and it just sat there for several minutes until I finally broke the connection. PAT] ------------------------------ From: kjpodsia@spd.dsccc.com (Kevin Podsiadlik) Subject: Re: AGIS Pulls Plug on Cyberpromo Due to Ping Attack Date: Mon, 22 Sep 1997 10:01:28 CDT > [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: What a rotten shame! So is Spamford > still out of service or has he managed to snooker other ISP's and/or > networks, etc into handling his nasty traffic? Oh, Spamford had backup plans all right. After AGIS dropped him, he went over to Digex. Then he went to Sprint. (Might have been Sprint then Digex ...) Then he went to BBN Planet. The game of Internet Hot Potato ended with Wallace getting dropped by four different backbone providers in a span of 24 hours, a record which may well never be broken. A moment for the Internet history books, to be sure. Kevin Podsiadlik DSC Communications Corporation Internet: kjpodsia@spd.dsccc.com 1000 Coit Road, Plano, Texas 75075 [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Congratulations to the pholks who made it happen with their constant pinging, etc. But will it last? Will he be back in a day or three, meaner than ever? Let's watch and see. PAT] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V17 #257 ******************************