Received: (from ptownson@localhost) by massis.lcs.mit.edu (8.9.1/8.9.1) id PAA28725; Mon, 26 Apr 1999 15:41:09 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 15:41:09 -0400 (EDT) From: editor@telecom-digest.org Message-Id: <199904261941.PAA28725@massis.lcs.mit.edu> X-Authentication-Warning: massis.lcs.mit.edu: ptownson set sender to editor@telecom-digest.org using -f To: ptownson Subject: TELECOM Digest V19 #58 TELECOM Digest Mon, 26 Apr 99 15:41:00 EDT Volume 19 : Issue 58 Inside This Issue: Editor: Patrick A. Townson Telecom Update (Canada) #180, April 26, 1999 (Angus TeleManagement) Book Review: "Communications Standard Dictionary", Martin Weik (Rob Slade) Re: Cell Phones Not to be Used in Moving Vehicles (Randal L. Schwartz) Portable Local Numbers: Why Aren't they? (Ralph Hyre) Re: Suffolk County, Long Island, NY (W.D.A. Geary) Local Access Alert (Tara D. Mahon) 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. 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Any organizations listed are for identification purposes only and messages should not be considered any official expression by the organization. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 10:31:07 -0400 From: Angus TeleManagement Subject: Telecom Update (Canada) #180, April 26, 1999 ************************************************************ * * * TELECOM UPDATE * * Angus TeleManagement's Weekly Telecom Newsbulletin * * http://www.angustel.ca * * Number 180: April 26, 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: ** Area Code Crisis in 2007? ** Ontario Independents Must Raise Local Rates ** Europeans Plan Biggest Telecom Merger ** Cableco Allows Third-Party Internet Access ** Canadian Companies to Register Domain Names ** BCT.Telus Buys Ontario Phone Book Publisher ** Rogers Communications in the Black ** Call-Net Revenue Up, Earnings Down ** Entourage Workers Laid Off ** Strikers Will Attend BCE Meeting ** Cantel Grows by 62,700 ** NBTel to Expand VideoActive Network ** Bell Satellite Gets Relay, Pay-TV Licenses ** Iridium CEO Quits ** Sprint Cuts Overseas Rates ** Cogeco Net Up 17% ** MT&T Drops Ampersand ** Call Center Seminars in Your Office ============================================================ AREA CODE CRISIS IN 2007? North America will run out of three-digit area codes between 2006 and 2012 -- most likely in 2007. The exact date depends on demand and on conservation measures. The North American Numbering Plan Administration reaches that conclusion in a report released April 22. ** The U.S. Cellular Telephone Industry Association has challenged the report's assumptions. They believe the exhaust date will be up to 10 years later. http://www.nanpa.com/pdf/NANP_Exhaust_Study.pdf http://www.wow-com.com/lawpol/filing/pdf/ctialtr042299.pdf ONTARIO INDEPENDENTS MUST RAISE LOCAL RATES: CRTC Decision 99-5 orders 35 independent telcos in Ontario and Quebec to raise residential rates to $19.85 and business rates to $45.45, effective July 1. The change will reduce the amount of subsidy required from long distance. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/internet/1999/8045/02/d99-05.htm EUROPEANS PLAN BIGGEST TELECOM MERGER: Deutsche Telekom and Telecom Italia are in final negotiations for the largest telecom merger yet. The deal, designed to thwart Olivetti's bid to acquire Telecom Italia, will create the world's second-largest telecom company. CABLECO ALLOWS THIRD-PARTY INTERNET ACCESS: Regional Cablesystems in Timmins, Ontario, has become the first cable company in North America to provide high-speed access to independent Internet Service Providers. Two ISPs now offer service on the cableco's facilities. CANADIAN COMPANIES TO REGISTER DOMAIN NAMES: Three Canadian companies will be allowed to register Internet domain names and addresses when the Network Solutions Inc. monopoly ends later this year. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers has approved 34 applications to compete with NSI, including: Domain Direct, a division of Tucows Interactive Ltd. of Toronto; Internet Domain Registrars, a division of Internet Gateway Corp. of Vancouver; and A Technology Co. of Toronto. BCT.TELUS BUYS ONTARIO PHONE BOOK PUBLISHER: BCT.Telus has acquired the Ontario assets of Locator Group Inc, an Orangeville-based phone book publisher that went into receivership in March. BCT.Telus says it plans to publish 20 to 30 directories in Southern Ontario. ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS IN THE BLACK: Rogers Communications had net revenues of $46.9 Million in the first quarter of 1999, compared with a loss of $18.9 Million last year. The improvement resulted from Rogers' sale of shares in @Home and Bid.Com: if those items are omitted, Rogers lost $69.2 Million in the quarter. ** Speaking at the company's annual meeting, CEO Ted Rogers said the company hopes to conclude at least one strategic alliance in cable or wireless by May 2000. CALL-NET REVENUE UP, EARNINGS DOWN: Call-Net revenues for the first quarter of 1999 were $341 Million, up 32% over last year. EBITDA was $10 Million, down from $23 Million. ** Moody's Investor Services has downgraded Call-Net senior notes, citing intense price competition in long distance and higher-than-expected capital costs in the local telephone market. ENTOURAGE WORKERS LAID OFF: Entourage Technology Solutions, which subcontracts most of Bell Canada's outside and inside cabling, has laid off 350 full-time and 750 part-time workers as a result of a strike by Bell operators and technicians. (See Telecom Update #178) STRIKERS WILL ATTEND BCE MEETING: Striking Bell Canada workers say they will be "out in force" at BCE's annual meeting in Hull, Quebec, this Wednesday. Union leaders say they will hold BCE officers responsible for forcing the strike. CANTEL GROWS BY 62,700: Rogers Cantel added 147,700 new subscribers in the first quarter of 1999; net growth was 62,700. Although total subscribers grew by 13.5% over last year, average revenue per user fell 11.7%, reflecting reduced rates and the impact of prepaid cellular plans. NBTEL TO EXPAND VIDEOACTIVE NETWORK: NBTel will spend $4.5 Million to expand its VideoActive network to seven additional communities in 1999, and eight more by the spring of 2000, using ADSL technology. The network supports NBTel's Vibe multimedia residential service and Advantage Business Extreme-Speed Internet. BELL SATELLITE GETS RELAY, PAY-TV LICENSES: CRTC Broadcasting Decision 98-87 grants Bell Satellite Services Inc. a license to offer a satellite relay service, competing with Star Choice and Cancom. Broadcasting Decision 98-88 approves a plan by BSSI's Bell ExpressVu to introduce a direct-to-home pay-per-view service with 22 channels in English and eight in French. http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/bcasting/decision/1999/d9987_0.txt http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/bcasting/decision/1999/d9987_0.txt IRIDIUM CEO QUITS: Satellite phone company Iridium LLC says its CEO, Edward Staiano, resigned last week over disagreements on strategy with the Board. Iridium's Chief Financial Officer resigned earlier this month. (See Telecom Update #177.) SPRINT CUTS OVERSEAS RATES: Sprint Canada says its new The Most International Savings Plan offers reduced residential calling rates to more than 240 countries. The plan includes a $4.95/month subscription fee. COGECO NET UP 17%: Excluding unusual gains from issuing shares and selling two cable TV systems, Cogeco Inc. had net income of $2.7 Million in the first quarter of 1999, up 17% from 1998. MT&T DROPS AMPERSAND: Nova Scotia's telephone company has changed its name and logo from MT&T to MTT. CALL CENTER SEMINARS IN YOUR OFFICE: Need to get your team up to date on tested techniques in call center management? Experts from Angus Dortmans Associates will bring their top-rated seminars to your site. Topics available include: ** Essential Skills and Knowledge for Effective Incoming Call Center Management ** What Senior Managers Must Know About Incoming Call Centers ** What Agents and Team Leaders Must Know About Incoming Call Centers ** What Suppliers Must Know About Incoming Call Centers ** Planning a New Call Center: Tips Before You Start For further information go to the Angus Dortmans seminars Web page. To discuss your specific education needs, contact Henry Dortmans at 1-800-263-4415 ext. 300 or at dortmans@angustel.ca. http://www.angustel.ca/angdort/adseminar.html ============================================================ 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. ============================================================ ------------------------------ From: Rob Slade Organization: Vancouver Institute for Research into User Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 08:46:59 -0800 Subject: Book Review: "Communications Standard Dictionary", Martin H. Weik Reply-To: rslade@sprint.ca BKCMSTDC.RVW 990317 "Communications Standard Dictionary", Martin H. Weik, 1996, 0-412-08391-4, U$152.00/UK#85.95/NLG311.00 %A Martin H. Weik %C 115 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10003 %D 1996 %G 0-412-08391-4 %I Chapman & Hall %O U$152.00/UK#85.95/NLG311.00 606-525-6600 800-842-3636 %O fax: 606-525-7778 +1-212-254-9499 order@chaphall.com %P 1192 p. %T "Communications Standard Dictionary" Neither the preface nor the introduction give much definition about the specific fields of communications being defined. Video, television, commercial broadcast, movie, telephony, and Internet terms do not get much coverage. (The lavaliere microphone, ubiquitous due to its inclusion in IBM dictionaries, is absent.) Military and engineering vocabulary predominates. Spaces are ignored in ordering definitions, which may create some slight confusion for those more familiar with library ordering. For example, "C language" is not listed with "c" (the designation for light speed), but follows "clamping circuit." Cross references are extensive. Prepositional phrases, such as "index of refraction," are reduced to modified nouns, in this case "refractive index." Thus, the definition may not be immediately found under the more commonly used phrase, but, again, the one is cross referenced to the other. Even given the enormous size, the work is not exhaustive. Public and private key encryption systems are defined (and rather well) but the more accurate symmetric and asymmetric terms for the two systems are not mentioned. I would have been very interested to see what the derivation of BNC (as in "BNC connector) was, except that it isn't included. The more mundane aspects of networks don't get much ink: neither sniffer nor the more formal network protocol analyzer were mentioned. On the other hand, five variant abbreviations for "bits per second" were defined in the table of acronyms. The range of topics included does focus on communications, but not exclusively. Much material covers physics, where related to communications technologies, and electronics. Fiber optics provides a great deal of the material for the book: in fact, "time domain reflectometry" is defined merely as a synonym for "optical time domain reflectometry," disregarding the use in coaxial and other non-optical cable systems. Fiber optics coverage is extensive, including a number of relatively little known technologies such as "air-supported optical fiber." Digital electronics, including a number of gate level figures and diagrams (I was a little sorry that flip-flops didn't make it), gets fairly significant coverage. Some items have a very tenuous connection to technical communication, such as physiological elements like the "accommodation" of the human eye. The entries are fairly heavily weighted towards terms used by official standards bodies. (I found it amusing that a note was included to the effect that neither in the technical literature nor in standards and protocols was there any consistency in the use of communication versus communications, or telecommunication versus telecommunications. Weik is absolutely correct on this point.) Some details, and also the general tone, reflect the author's background with the military. The Internet, for example, is defined in correct, but very formal terms, with no discussion of the social or cultural aspects. (I wondered if the book was getting a bit Dick Tracy-esque for a second before I realized what was meant by a "radio watch.") While data communications now play a major role in communications overall, they are not, by any means, the only components. Radio technology is well represented in this volume. (The material is generally formal and even turgid, but is there any subversive humour? I am not sure what to make of an illustration that shows a "fiber optic cable that outshines a copper cable." Another such item is the definition for "spacecraft," and the discussion of satellite.) A number of the definitions included relate solely to computer use. For example, "absolute cell addressing" is defined only in terms of personal computer spreadsheet software. (Though less common, spreadsheet software is also found on larger systems.) On the other hand, while "access control" is included and defined, access control list is not and ACL doesn't make the acronym list. Personal computers have heavily influenced these entries, as is evidenced by the fact that "backspace" refers only to the destructive backspace which is the commonly understood meaning of the term in that environment. Others are simply odd, such as the assertion that on a "computer standard keyboard" the symbol for British currency (pounds) moves the "pointer" left by one screen or page. (Note the trouble I had even specifying the character: to the best of my recollection it has appeared on only "genuine" VT 100 keyboards among those I have worked with, and I'm quite certain it did not have any cursor movement function.) Occasionally it would be nice to have some kind of citation for obscure usages, such as "rigid diskette." Slang terms are not prevalent, but are not excluded, either. There are entries for both "cracker" and "hacker" (the latter unfortunately defined for the dark side only), as well as "cybercop." (There is no listing for forensic computing and "free net" refers to radio networks while there is no listing for Free-Net.) "Worm" is poorly defined as a type of computer virus, which is not defined at all. Errors are very hard to find, and then tend to be subject to interpretation, such as the difference in definition between "cartridge" and "cassette" or the rather non-technical explanation for "gel." ("Refractive index matching gel" does a lot better.) In specialized realms there are more questionable entries. A "firewall," for example, is said to provide "trusted network security for a distributed computing and communications environment" where most experts would say that it provides limited security for a confined network. In addition, the firewall entry seems to relate only to selective routing and doesn't mention proxy service. "Internet Assistant" is not written in HyperText Markup Language, but helps to produce a file properly encoded with it. (The definition for "HyperText Markup Language" is also a bit odd.) And I hesitate to contradict Dr. Weik, but everything I have ever read seems to indicate that the 53 byte cell size for Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) is fixed. In those areas it does cover extensively, the work is generally both authoritative and helpful. As the author implies, at times it functions more like an encyclopedia than a glossary, with extensive discussions rather than simple definitions. For the average user or manager, however, the areas of specialization are pretty esoteric, and the gaps in common topics may be frustrating. For the engineer, particularly if dealing with the military, the text could be very useful indeed. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1999 BKCMSTDC.RVW 990317 ====================== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer) rslade@vcn.bc.ca rslade@sprint.ca slade@victoria.tc.ca p1@canada.com On the other hand, you have different fingers. http://victoria.tc.ca/techrev or http://sun.soci.niu.edu/~rslade ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Cell Phones Not to be Used in Moving Vehicles in Brooklyn, Ohio From: merlyn@stonehenge.com (Randal L. Schwartz) Organization: Stonehenge Consulting Services; Portland, Oregon, USA Date: 26 Apr 1999 07:33:03 -0700 Gail M Hall writes: > We are told here that Brooklyn is the first city in the US to pass > such a law. Many people hope it will not be the last. I think the > law says that if they do use a cell phone in a moving vehicle, they > must have both hands on the steering wheel. This is class envy. If you outlaw cell phones, please also outlaw: drive through restaurants babies on board children in the back seat ("Don't make me pull over!") doing makeup in the rearview mirror reading a book using a map etc etc. Some people drive inattentively, and the cell phone makes that worse. But let's be fair here. Let's outlaw EVERYTHING that could be a distraction to the driver. Name: Randal L. Schwartz / Stonehenge Consulting Services (503)777-0095 Keywords: Perl training, UNIX[tm] consulting, video production, skiing, flying Email: Snail: (Call) PGP-Key: (finger merlyn@teleport.com) Web: My Home Page! Quote: "I'm telling you, if I could have five lines in my .sig, I would!" -- me ------------------------------ From: rhyre@medplus.com (Ralph Hyre) Subject: Portable Local Numbers: Why aren't they? Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 11:03:47 -0400 What's the real issue with Local Number portability? 800 Number portability was achieved years ago (1993?), and the technology and operational issues are basically the same, with some minor scaling issues. The originating LEC has to do a database lookup to find the carrier handling the 800 call, so the appropriate call setup messages can be exchanged with the proper parties, and a voice circuit from the caller's LEC (A) to the destination LEC B (via carrier C) can be established. Why can't the same process be adopted for local calls? In Ohio, I'm already being assessed a 'Local Number Portability charge' to make this happen. Presumably this pays for administration of the as-yet-nonexistent database. Why was LEC competition permitted before Local Numbers were mandated to be portable? Did the FCC fall asleep here? ------------------------------ From: wdag@my-dejanews.com (W.D.A. Geary) Subject: Re: Suffolk County, Long Island, NY Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 17:42:46 GMT Organization: Deja News - The Leader in Internet Discussion In article , keith@knip.co (Keith - Add the M in Com ) wrote: > Does anyone know what the NEW " AREA CODE " will be ? > I suggest " 783 " for SUF Pace to 1-800-FLOWERS, codes that actually had alphabetical meaning went out with hula hoops. I think the new Suffolk area code will be 680, based on: 1) Reserved exchange codes reserved in 516 area (i.e. "nxx" _immediately_ responded to with " ... please dial 1 first... ", without waiting for more digits) 2) Existing area codes 3) Published lists of "reserved (by-state)" area codes I also think that we will _soon_ have to go to either 8-digit local numbers or _variable length_ numbers (terminating dialing sequence with # key, just like SEND on cellphone). This would certainly simplify telephone-number entries in address books and business cards/ advertisements, and allow something like: 1-680-555-1212# (base number for Wardenclyffe Microtechnology; voice phone) 1-680-555-1212-1# (fax machine) 1-680-555-1212-2# (pager) 1-680-555-1212-3# (cellphone) 1-680-555-1212-41# (data line 1) 1-680-555-1212-42# (data line 2) ISDN already supports a "subaddress" that could be used for this. As far as "how do you dial # on a rotary phone", give a $50 bounty for every "rotary" phone turned in, regardless of condition; it will be cheaper than trying to accomodate it in a modern phone system. The Norwegians got rid of all such "pulse dialers", why can't we? W.D.A.Geary Wardenclyffe Microtechnology Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana. -----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==---------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 11:52:51 -0400 From: Tara D. Mahon Reply-To: tara@insight-corp.com Organization: The Insight Research Corporation Subject: Local Access Alert Pat, A new service that may interest DIGEST readers. Please note there is a free subscription offer available. Regards, Tara D. Mahon Local Access Information Finds a Home A new continuous information service focusing on local access issues premiered last week by Insight Research, a leading provider of telecommunications market research reports. The service, Local Access Alert, features weekly news analysis, monthly analyst papers, an annual report, and telephone inquiry support, designed to provide telecom professionals with the strategic intelligence crucial to success in the local access market. In addition to performing in-depth examinations of major industry announcements, Local Access Alert will also go behind the news to probe these key industry issues: - What is the consumer and business demand for broadband access? What applications (e.g., telemedicine, distance learning, streaming video) are most likely to be used? - How and where will Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs) deploy flavors of digital subscriber lines (xDSL)? Will they be able to do it fast enough to compete with the CATV companies, who are rapidly chalking up cable modem subscribers? - Will the lines finally begin to blur between Internet Service Providers (ISPs), voice CLECs, and data CLECs, or will they each retain their separate functions? - What will be the response of the incumbent carriers (regional Bells, independent LECs) to all this action? Will they innovate and stay ahead of the curve, or will they become lumbering dinosaurs, one step shy of extinction? Philip C. Richards, Vice President of Insight and 30-year telecom industry veteran heads the innovative new service. Local Access Alert is offered annually at $11,900 for up to five registered subscribers. Complete service details and a free subscription offer are online at: http://www.insight-corp.com/local.html. For further information, please contact: Tara D. Mahon tara@insight-corp.com The Insight Research Corporation 973/605-1400 [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Eleven-thousand-nine-hundred dollars, and presumably zero cents for a one year subscription. But you graciously allow up to five people to read it at no additional cost. What happens when a sixth person comes along? Does he have to buy his own subscription for another eleven-thousand-nine-hundred dollars and presumably zero cents for one year? It seems to me your service may be a bit expensive, but perhaps the telcos will subscribe and then offset it by simply adding still another line item in the 'Other Charges and Credits' portion of the monthly bill, let's say 38 cents per month from now until 2010 to pay for newsletter subscriptions for their executives. One thing we have in common though, is that I offer free subscriptions also. You can read about my free subscription offer by going to the URL http://telecom-digest.org where, alas, there are no Make Spam Fast proposals, no nude teens, no warez, no double-crossing webmasters with their double-clicks, no advertising windows that keep re-opening no matter how many time you click them shut; none of the traditional Internet fare: just all you ever wanted to know about telephones and telecommunications in soon to be eighteen years' worth of archived back issues of this journal you are reading now, and numerous links (with more to come soon) to other people who know a lot about phones and telecommunications. No doubt Mr. Richards will have a lot more to offer readers, which is why he can charge a little more than I do. I am sure readers who are excited about your new service will be in touch soon to provide you with their credit card or checking account information. PAT] ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest V19 #58 *****************************