Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.9.1/8.9.1) id NAA19187; Tue, 25 May 1999 13:52:10 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 13:52:10 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <199905251752.NAA19187@massis.lcs.mit.edu> To: ptownson Subject: TELECOM Digest V19 #97 TELECOM Digest Tue, 25 May 99 13:52:00 EDT Volume 19 : Issue 97 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Telecom Update (Canada) #184, May 24, 1999 (Angus TeleManagement) Bell Atlantic and V-SPAN Alliance (Josh Cartagenova) Big Banks Move on Net Security (Monty Solomon) Copyright Bills May Limit Access to Facts (Monty Solomon) Re: Using V&H to Calculate Distance (Charlie C.) Re: Smartjack and CSU (Steve Pinkston) Re: Strange Problem (Cortland Richmond) Re: AT&T Now CHARGES For BASIC Numbering/Dialing/Geographic Info! (M Black) More Spam With 800 Numbers (webnerd) 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 networks such as Compuserve and America On Line, and other forums. It is also gatewayed to Usenet where it appears as the moderated newsgroup 'comp.dcom.telecom'. TELECOM Digest is a not-for-profit, mostly non-commercial educational service offered to the Internet by Patrick Townson. All the contents of the Digest are compilation-copywrited. You may reprint articles in some other media on an occassional basis, but please attribute my work and that of the original author. Contact information: Patrick Townson/TELECOM Digest Post Office Box 765 Junction City, KS 66441-0765 Phone: 415-520-9905 Email: editor@telecom-digest.org Subscribe/unsubscribe: subscriptions@telecom-digest.org This Digest is the oldest continuing e-journal on the Internet, having been founded in August, 1981 and published continuously since then. Our archives are available for your review/research. URL information: http://telecom-digest.org Anonymous FTP: hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/telecom-archives/archives (or use our mirror site: ftp.epix.net/pub/telecom-archives) Email <==> FTP: telecom-archives@telecom-digest.org Send a simple, one line note to that automated address for a help file on how to use the automatic retrieval system for archives files. You can get desired files in email. ************************************************************************* * 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. * ************************************************************************* In addition, a gift from Mike Sandman, Chicago's Telecom Expert has enabled me to replace some obsolete computer equipment and enter the 21st century sort of on schedule. His mail order telephone parts/supplies service based in the Chicago area has been widely recognized by Digest readers as a reliable and very inexpensive source of telecom-related equipment. Please request a free catalog today at http://www.sandman.com --------------------------------------------------------------- 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. Please make at least a single donation to cover the cost of processing your name to the mailing list. 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, 25 May 1999 10:23:15 -0400 From: Angus TeleManagement Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #184, May 24, 1999 ************************************************************ * * * TELECOM UPDATE * * Angus TeleManagement's Weekly Telecom Newsbulletin * * http://www.angustel.ca * * Number 184: May 24, 1999 * * * * Publication of Telecom Update is made possible by * * generous financial support from: * * * * AT&T Canada ............... http://www.attcanada.com/ * * Bell Canada ............... http://www.bell.ca/ * * Lucent Technologies ....... http://www.lucent.ca/ * * MetroNet Communications ... http://www.metronet.ca/ * * Sprint Canada ............. http://www.sprintcanada.ca/ * * Telus Communications....... http://www.telus.com/ * * TigerTel Services ......... http://www.citydial.com/ * * * ************************************************************ IN THIS ISSUE: ** Vancouver Wants Cost Plus 25% for Rights-of-Way ** Clearnet Launches Prepaid Service ** Shareholders Okay Atlantic Telco Merger ** Minacs Acquires Phonettix ** Nimiq Takes Flight ** Telus Plans National Chain of Web Portals ** Bell Mobility to Cut Staff by 10% ** Call-Net Says It's Undervalued ** RIM's BlackBerry Adds Paging, Enterprise Server ** Royal Society Says Cellphone Radiation Risk Is Low ** National Wireless Safety Week ** 780 Code Mandatory in Alberta ** US West, Global Crossing to Merge ** Acquisitions Bring Loss at Mitel ** Telus Tops One Million Wireless Customers ** Revere Drops Prepaid Cards ** How to Locate Telecom News, References ============================================================ VANCOUVER WANTS COST PLUS 25% FOR RIGHTS-OF-WAY: The City of Vancouver has asked the CRTC to rule that carriers who want access to municipal rights-of-way should pay the cost of maintaining the ROW plus a 25% mark-up. ** In a related filing, Vancouver says Ledcor is not a Canadian carrier as defined in the Telecom Act and therefore has no right to ask the CRTC for access to the city's rights-of-way. (See Telecom Update #179) http://www.crtc.gc.ca:80/eng/proc_rep/telecom/1999/8690/c68-01.htm http://www.crtc.gc.ca:80/eng/proc_rep/telecom/1999/8690/l8-01.htm CLEARNET LAUNCHES PREPAID SERVICE: Clearnet Communications has introduced a prepaid PCS service, called "Say When," with airtime rates identical to its postpaid plans. A $29.95 monthly minimum payment includes 100 local minutes. The start-up kit (price: $149.99) includes a digital-only Qualcomm 1960 handset. ** Clearnet's first-quarter revenue was $68.8 Million, 71% higher than last year. EBITDA losses fell 38% to $45.4 Million. Revenue per unit fell 5% to $53.59. (See Telecom Update #179) SHAREHOLDERS OKAY ATLANTIC TELCO MERGER: More than 99% of Bruncor, Island Tel, MTT, and NewTel shareholders have voted to approve the merger of the four telcos into a single company. (See Telecom Update #175) MINACS ACQUIRES PHONETTIX: The Minacs Group, based in Pickering, Ontario, is acquiring 80% of the shares of Toronto-based Phonettix Intelecom. Both companies are call center outsourcers. NIMIQ TAKES FLIGHT: Telesat Canada's Nimiq (Canada's first direct broadcast satellite) was successfully launched into orbit May 20. TELUS PLANS NATIONAL CHAIN OF WEB PORTALS: Telus has expanded its BC news and information Web portal, MyBC.com, and announced plans to set up similar regional and local sites across Canada. The Globe and Mail reports that some of Telus's projected portal names are owned by others. BELL MOBILITY TO CUT STAFF BY 10%: Bell Mobility will drop 300 of its 3,200 employees in the next few months. The company blames a decrease in revenue per subscriber and the rise of lower-revenue prepaid service. CALL-NET SAYS IT'S UNDERVALUED: Call-Net, the parent of Sprint Canada, says the company is "grossly undervalued": its U.S. fiber alone is worth more than its equity value. Sales to businesses and carriers now generate 64% of Call-Net revenue. ** At the company's May 19 annual meeting, CEO Juri Koor said he wants to significantly expand Call-Net's relationship with U.S.-based Sprint Corp. (See Telecom Update #180) RIM'S BLACKBERRY ADDS PAGING, ENTERPRISE SERVER: Research In Motion has added paging services from PageMart Canada as an optional feature of its BlackBerry wireless e-mail device. BlackBerry can also now be linked to enterprise e-mail servers. ROYAL SOCIETY SAYS CELLPHONE RADIATION RISK IS LOW: A study by the Royal Society of Canada, commissioned by Health Canada, has found no evidence that radio-frequency fields emitted by wireless base stations and handsets are injurious to health. The report endorses the wireless health guidelines contained in the Federal Government's Safety Code 6. http://www.rsc.ca/english/RFreport.html NATIONAL WIRELESS SAFETY WEEK: During National Wireless Safety Week (May 24-30), the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association and wireless carriers are publicizing safety issues in cellphone use on the road. http://www.cwta.ca/policy/driving.htm 780 CODE MANDATORY IN ALBERTA: Use of the new 780 Area Code, which has replaced 403 in northern and central Alberta, is now mandatory. US WEST, GLOBAL CROSSING TO MERGE: International carrier Global Crossing has made a US$35 Billion deal to merge with US West, a regional telco in the midwest and western U.S. The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce owns 17% of Global Crossing. ACQUISITIONS BRING LOSS AT MITEL: Mitel's sales for the quarter ended March 26 were $329 Million, 18% more than last year. One-time charges of $34 Million, mostly due to acquisitions, led to a net loss of $18.9 Million. TELUS TOPS ONE MILLION WIRELESS CUSTOMERS: BCT.Telus reported first-quarter wireless revenue of $191 Million, down 4% from last year. The number of subscribers rose 15.7% from the previous year and has now topped 1,000,000. REVERE DROPS PREPAID CARDS: Calgary-based Revere Communications, which formed a partnership with Telus last year to market prepaid calling cards, has decided to abandon the business due to "increased competition and low profit margins." (See Telecom Update #115) HOW TO LOCATE TELECOM NEWS, REFERENCES: You just can't find a key telecom fact? The Angus TeleManagement Web site contains several resources that may help you put your finger on it: ** Telecom Update provides a search engine that scans all its weekly issues since 1995. ** Detailed yearly subject indexes locate articles printed since 1995 in Telemanagement: The Angus Report on Business Communications in Canada. ** Our Telecom Links section lists more than 500 organizations of interest to Canadian telecom professionals, including all those mentioned in Telecom Update or Telemanagement. ** The Telecom Calendar provides contact information for more than 100 conferences and seminars in Canada and internationally. http://www.angustel.ca ============================================================ HOW TO SUBMIT ITEMS FOR TELECOM UPDATE E-MAIL: editors@angustel.ca FAX: 905-686-2655 MAIL: TELECOM UPDATE Angus TeleManagement Group 8 Old Kingston Road Ajax, Ontario Canada L1T 2Z7 =========================================================== HOW TO SUBSCRIBE (OR UNSUBSCRIBE) TELECOM UPDATE is provided in electronic form only. There are two formats available: 1. The fully-formatted edition is posted on the World Wide Web on the first business day of the week at http://www.angustel.ca/update/up.html 2. The e-mail edition is distributed free of charge. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to majordomo@angustel.ca. The text of the message should contain only the two words: subscribe update To stop receiving the e-mail edition, send an e-mail message to majordomo@angustel.ca. The text of the message should say only: unsubscribe update [Your e-mail address] =========================================================== COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER: All contents copyright 1999 Angus TeleManagement Group Inc. All rights reserved. For further information, including permission to reprint or reproduce, please e-mail rosita@angustel.ca or phone 905-686-5050 ext 225. The information and data included has been obtained from sources which we believe to be reliable, but Angus TeleManagement makes no warranties or representations whatsoever regarding accuracy, completeness, or adequacy. Opinions expressed are based on interpretation of available information, and are subject to change. If expert advice on the subject matter is required, the services of a competent professional should be obtained. ============================================================ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 17:06:50 -0400 From: Josh Cartagenova" Subject: Bell Atlantic & V-SPAN Allianced V-SPAN Joshua Cartagenova Marketing Manager 610-382-4056 joshc@vspan.com V-SPAN & BELL ATLANTIC JOIN FORCES TO PROVIDE A COMPLETE COMMUNICATION SOLUTION Bell Atlantic and V-SPAN partner in a preferred provider agreement for videoconferencing & gateway services King of Prussia, PA * May 24, 1999 V-SPAN, the largest privately held videoconferencing network management and gateway service provider, and Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group (DSG) are pleased to announce a preferred service provider agreement. In this co-marketing partnership, Bell Atlantic will direct all customers in their 13-state territory to V-SPAN for multipoint videoconferencing and gateway services. "V-SPAN is excited to provide comprehensive gateway and multipoint videoconferencing services to Bell Atlantic customers. The agreement further solidifies the necessity of partnerships in today's business environment by combining 'best of breed' resources to offer customers a complete solution", states Ken Hayward, president of V-SPAN. The collaboration between Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group and V-SPAN now offer customers a single source for hardware, network procurement, installation and maintenance, multipoint videoconferencing network management and gateway services. DSG's front-end service coupled with the back-end videoconferencing service and support from V-SPAN enables Bell Atlantic customers to fully benefit from a comprehensive communication solution. About V-SPAN: V-SPAN is a worldwide leader in the delivery of "virtual meeting management services" to corporations, government, and educational institutions. The organization is primarily engaged in providing seamless multipoint videoconferencing connectivity and gateway services to the interactive visual communications marketplace. V-SPAN services include: gateway connectivity between traditional (ISDN) and new media networks (i.e.: Internet, wireless, cable modems, XDSL, POTS & public/private switched), videoconference network management, award-winning Managed Conference Services Group, multipoint bridging services, Internet streaming, Web-Enhanced Teleconferencing, worldwide scheduling & reservations and help desk services. V-SPAN Corporate headquarters is located in King of Prussia, PA with offices nationwide. For additional information about V-SPAN services and unrivaled customer dedication, please contact 1-888-44V-SPAN or visit our Web site at www.vspan.com. About Bell Atlantic: Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With 43 million telephone access lines and nine million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and investments in 23 countries. About Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group Bell Atlantic Data Solutions Group (DSG) is dedicated to providing globally integrated network solutions that seamlessly connect businesses with their customers, partners and employees. DSG provides all aspects of data networking from the management and operation of customer networks and network integration, to network transport and advanced IP services such as intranets and extranets, virtual private networks, web hosting and multimedia services. DSG will offer complete, end-to-end solutions through third party alliances and partnerships it will form nationally and globally. Joshua Cartagenova Marketing Manager V-SPAN Virtual Connectivity...Anyplace @ Anytime 1100 First Ave, Ste 400 - King of Prussia, PA 19406 Ph: 610-382-4056 Fx: 610-382-1099 E: joshc@vspan.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 04:56:26 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Big Banks Move on Net Security By Tim Clark Staff Writer, CNET News.com May 21, 1999, 1 p.m. PT Worried that problems on home computers may make Internet banking insecure, a group of major U.S. banks is expected to unveil a plan this summer to open a lab to test the security of Web browsers and PC hardware and software. "The banks feel that firewalls and what they have internally is in great shape, but the link is to the consumer and PC environments [where they find security more suspect]," said Catherine Allen, chief executive of the Banking Industry Technology Secretariat, a division of Bankers Roundtable. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,36923,00.html [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I can tell you that Bank One is having a *horrible* problem right now with their 'online banking' since their merger with First Chicago. First Chicago customers were able to see all their accounts and do various things with a very high degree of security. First Chicago insisted on browsers having 128 encryption, and their software took complete control of the user's browser while connected; i.e no use of history buttons or address bar allowed. Starting May 12, Bank One took over, and First Chicago customers have been mostly locked out, only rarely able to get through. Many of the accounts that were previously shown on line are no longer available that way. Most results to get through to the 'online banking' at Bank One get stalled due to the volume of business they are trying to handle. **There is little or no security**. If you know how to cut and paste URLs you can roam around on all sorts of 'deep pages' at their site. Most of last week, Bank One's 'Online Banking Unit' simply refused to answer the phone at all. After endless busy signals, if you finally reached their customer service at 800-482-3675 you got just a recorded message saying 'time on hold will be at least six minutes' with a lot of condescending advice on how to apply for a mortgage or to be sure and include the 'payee phone number' when you made an online bill payment. The 'six minutes on hold' turned into at least 45 minutes on three separate occassions, at which point the connection was dropped. I put it on a speaker phone each time and just left it there while I did other things; I have yet to actually speak live to any person there. If you call First Chicago, they are very apologetic, and say that yes, they know First Chicago customers are presently having a 'hard time' (what an understatement!) logging in, and that no, they are not able to reach anyone personally at Bank One either to find out what is going on. All they get is the 'six minutes on hold' recorded message also that never goes away. The complete lack of security at Bank One's site (http://www.bankone.com) is what scares me; I have little enough money as it is without having some smart person who happens to know my social security number decide to cut and paste URLs with all the cute little symbols Bank One puts in the 'address' thinking they can keep people out of where they do not belong. I will try them again later today and see if I can both get through to a live person and/or actually log in. PAT] ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 05:03:36 -0400 From: Monty Solomon Subject: Copyright Bills May Limit Access to Facts By Courtney Macavinta Staff Writer, CNET News.com May 21, 1999, 12:05 p.m. PT Federal legislation is gaining ground to give those who compile public or proprietary facts landmark copyright protections for their databases. The House Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property yesterday passed a heavily amended Collections of Information Antipiracy Act by Rep. Howard Coble (R-North Carolina). The Coble bill aims to protect the "brow sweat," deep pockets, and future ventures of database creators, such as WestLaw, the American Medical Association, members of the National Association of Realtors, and Reed Elsevier, which owns Lexis-Nexis. http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,36911,00.html ------------------------------ From: Charlie C. Subject: Re: Using V&H to Calculate Distance Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 22:52:08 -0500 Organization: Noddy Blighters Scott Prugh wrote: > I found the following in TELECOM Digest: > Within North America, rate distance is calculated using the "V&H" system. > V stands for "vertical" (north-south position) and H for "horizontal" > (east-west position). Each exchange is represented by a location expressed > as a V&H co-ordinate. A rate distance can be calculated from two V&H > co-ordinate sets based on Pythagorean Theorem, i.e. rate distance = > sqrt((V1-V2)^2+(H1-H2)^2)/10 where (V1,H1) is the V&H for one end of a > call, and (V2,H2) represents the other end of a call. > Seems pretty easy. So I pulled out my LERG and took the switch coordinates > for two switches: > SW1 = 'PSWYNJPIDS5' (v1,h1) = (5080,1444) -- PISCATAWAY > SW2 = 'ACMEWAXARS1' (v2,h2) = (6102,8901) -- SEATTLE > > And plugged away: > > rd = sqrt( (5080-6102)^2 + (1444-8901)^2 )/10 > rd = sqrt( -1022^2 + -7457^2)/10 > rd = sqrt( 1044484 + 55606849)/10 > rd = sqrt( 56651333)/10 > rd = 7526/10 > rd = 752 > > This is obviously wrong, since Seattle is more that 752 miles from > Piscataway. > What's wrong here? Is the formula I have dated? Math looks good to me. I notice that the result is off by a factor of about 3.1416 -- hmmmmm... Could the original presentation of the formula have an omitted term? My email reply address is never read. Spam away! ------------------------------ From: steve_pinkston@adc.com (Steve Pinkston) Subject: Re: Smartjack and CSU Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 15:54:43 GMT Organization: ADC Telecommunications Reply-To: steve_pinkston@adc.com On Sat, 22 May 1999 22:22:38 GMT, Kevin Lundy wrote: > Is there any recommended maximum distance from the smartjack to the > CSU? Not really. Everything has to do, ultimately, with signal levels. Most CSUs can sync up properly on a signal as low as -22.5 dBdsx0. The telco can provide a signal that comes OUT of the smartjack at a level anywhere from 0 dBdsx0 down to -16 dBdsx0. Any CPE wiring ("extended demarc") will attenuate the signal more. > I have a new T1 voice service that is giving me hell. It's an > intermittent problem - slips, dropped calles, static, etc. That you mention "slips" is significant. Slips (or "controlled slips") generally indicate a timing conflict between your CPE and the line. Check to see if your PBX (or channel bank, or whatever) is set to derive its timing (clock) from the T1 line. If it set for internal timing, or "free-run," it could cause the problems you are reporting. A line that is heavily errored due to near-end crosstalk (NEXT) could also cause the problems you report. A telltale symptom would be that the CSU was reporting large numbers of BPVs (Bipolar Violations). > Every time we have a problem, the techs can loop up the smart jack and > stress test error free. They loop the CSU, and they see errors. So > we replace the CSU, and problem is still there. This much is > repeatable. Which to me indicates a problem of some sort with the > cable between the CSU and smartjack. A grounding problem, a distance > problem, a flakey termination, etc. But then the techs come on site > and put a test pack on the cable at my CSU and it tests fine. Everything you mention in the preceding paragraph is consistent with controlled slips, and might be consistent with a NEXT problem. > Any thoughts of wisdom out there? I don't know if it counts as wisdom or not, but I will say that a big part of troubleshooting is paying close attention to the TYPE of errors one is receiving. Slips, BPVs, and CRC-6 errors can indicate various error mechanisms. In combinations, they point to still further syndromes. A lot of the devices we hook up are very smart, but it sometimes takes a little research to be able to use all the data they give you! - steve ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 25 May 1999 09:37:22 -0700 From: Cortland Richmond Organization: TELECOM Digest Subject: Re: Strange Problem > IT DOESN'T MATTER (AND THE SWITCH CAN'T TELL) WHETHER YOU OR YOUR > COMPUTER DIALS, A LOCAL CALL IS A LOCAL CALL IS A LOCAL CALL. PERIOD. My ISP tells me PacBell wants this changed. PacBell wants to get out from under reciprocal compensation to ILEC's serving ISP's, and is asking that calls to ISP's be treated as long distance. Here's the bulletin they sent me: > The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) > is considering a change in the way that calls to > Internet Service providers are classified and how > the billing is handled between the various > telephone companies involved in handling the calls. > > Pacific Bell has asked the Commission to overturn > previous rulings, appeals and arbitrations and rule > that all calls to Internet companies are long- > distance calls instead of local calls. > THIS WOULD CAUSE HIGHER RATES FOR CALIFORNIA > INTERNET USERS AND, IN MANY RURAL AREAS, COMPLETE > LOSS OF LOCAL INTERNET ACCESS. > The CPUC will meet on May 27th to make a decision. > What can you do? > 1. Look at the CPUC link on SaberNet's home page > at http://www.saber.net/sabernet/cpucdocs.html > for more information. > 2. Take action! Time is of the essence. > Protect your right to local Internet access! ------------------------------ From: black@csulb.edu (Matthew Black) Subject: Re: AT&T Now CHARGES For BASIC Numbering/Dialing/Geographic Info! Date: 24 May 1999 14:20:02 GMT In article , mcuccia@mailhost.tcs. tulane.edu says ... [original message edited for brevity --matt 990524] > ... They DON'T tell you that anytime > you are connected to their 'double-oh' info pseudo-directory that you are > charged NINETY-NINE-CENTS, whether or not their pseudo-directory is able > to find the directory listing or other such info that you are inquiring > about - and I assume you are charged ONCE the AT&T 'double-oh' operator > 'supes' back to the initial operator. Most of us have seen those commercials for AT&T double-oh-my-god you call this service. They say they provide listings for "any number." Has anyone tried asking for President Clinton's private phone in the Oval Office? Wouldn't it be great to get the phone number of your favorite movie or rock star? AT&T promises to have any number for just $0.95. I'm surprised some lawyer hasn't sued AT&T for false advertising. --matt [to send me e-mail, remove obvious item from my address] ------------------------------(c) 1999 Matthew Black, all rights reserved-- matthew black | Opinions expressed herein belong to me and network & systems specialist | may not reflect those of my employer california state university | network services SSA-180E | e-mail: black at csulb dot edu 1250 bellflower boulevard | PGP fingerprint: 6D 14 36 ED 5F 34 C4 B3 long beach, ca 90840 | E9 1E F3 CB E7 65 EE BC ------------------------------ From: webnerd Subject: More Spam With 800 Numbers Date: Mon, 24 May 1999 22:26:21 -0400 Hello Patrick, I have been enjoying the newsletter. I suspect that you have been rather busy lately and slightly rushed to get it out. Slow down and watch the typos! Otherwise, keep up the good work! I am waiting for you to drift into VON/IP/ATM alphebetics discussions. My theory is that the major phone companies are buying in to KILL this innovative method before they are overrun. Best, PS: Attached SPAM for speed dial abuse ONLY for "SERIOUS" Demon dialers (I have one here somewhere but never fond a manual for it ;-( ) -----Original Message----- From: abba47614@turbomail.net [SMTP:abba47614@turbomail.net] Sent: Monday, May 24, 1999 6:05 PM Subject: This is a proven system for wealth building. (62842) Innovative publically traded company offers full or part-time home-base business opportunity, with the potential to earn thousands from the comfort of your own home. I'm looking for serious minded entrepreneurs with a burning desire to improve their present financial situation and who are commmitted to earning several thousand dollars per month. * This business is not multi-level marketing or a get rich quick scheme. * Your customers will pay you directly. * This is a proven turn-key system. * An excellent training and support tools are included. Call only if you are SERIOUS and leave your name and telephone number. 1-888-248-1137 [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: By now, everyone should know the routine. Enjoy! PAT] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V19 #97 *****************************