TELECOM Digest     Tue, 29 Mar 94 10:06:00 CST    Volume 14 : Issue 154

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    Africa Telecom - Lunchbag Discussion (Barry Laina Raveendran Greene)
    Newton PCMCIA Fax Modem to Cellular (Michael Eskin)
    Question About IS-54 Standard (Sathyadev Uppala)
    Predictions About Future A/C Splits (Linc Madison)
    Re: Windows or DOS Caller ID Program (Ralph Becker)
    Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime? (Andrew C. Green)
    Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime? (Jeff Hibbard)
    Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime? (Dave Ptasnik)
    Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime? (Andrew Robson)
    Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime? (Danny Burstein)
    Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime? (Rhett Salisbury)
    LEAGUE @ AT&T Press Release (Tom J. Tilkey)
    About the Chicago Post Office (Paul Robinson)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Barry  Laina Raveendran Greene <p00128@psilink.com>
Subject: Africa Telecom - Lunchbag Discussion
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 94 03:44:26 -0500
Organization: Baha'i Computer and Communications Association


           "EMERGING COMMUNICATION MARKETS IN AFRICA"

The event will also present some issues to be discussed at the Africa
Telecom'94 Forum (April 25-29 in Cairo). It is open to the public but
space is limited. RSVPs are required (for security passes to the World
Bank) by the 12 April 1994.

GTS members who RSVP by 11th April 1994 will receive priority.

For RSVP call 833-3322 to leave a message.

     SPEAKERS: JOHN RICHTER, Regional Director for Africa,
                                           US Trade &
             Developmental Agency
             NOAH SAMARA, CEO, Afrispace
             HAMADOUN TOURE, Regional Director for Africa,
             INTELSAT

         WHEN?- WEDNESDAY, 13 APRIL 1994, 12 noon-2 p.m.
           WHERE?- 1717 H Street (World Bank Building)
                           Room T-7070
                         Washington D.C.
                                

The Global Telecommunications Society, (GTS), is a non-profit,
non-partisan organization. The Society is dedicated to promoting
understanding of the issues involving international telecommunications.  
The Society seeks to establish chapter organizations in countries and
cities throughout the world because of the growing need to bring
together professionals and specialists who are focused on the
accelerating field of international telecommunications. GTS brings its
members together through electronic mail and also builds human links
through friendships and professional cooperation and respect that
overcome differences in various disciplines, cultures and geography.

If interested to join the Global Telecommunications Society, call
202-833-3322 to leave a message.

------------------------------

From: eskin@brooktree.com (Michael Eskin)
Subject: Newton PCMCIA Fax Modem to Cellular
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 94 20:39:42 GMT
Organization: Brooktree Corporation


I am looking for recommendations for equipment and experiences in
sending data and fax from a Newton MessagePad 110 with the internal
Apple PCMCIA Fax Modem using an external interface to a Mitsubishi
4000 pocket cellular phone.

Can it work? I am pretty much limited to 2400 baud data by the speed of
the Newton so a basic data connection is all that is needed.

I've heard reports that this should work, others that it shouldn't. I am
looking for some real data.


Michael Eskin   Brooktree Corporation   eskin@brooktree.com
9868 Scranton Road        AOL: BTRE MichE  
San Diego, CA  92121      AppleLink: D4729       CIS: 76376,541

------------------------------

From: sathya@uw-isdl.ee.washington.edu (Sathyadev Uppala)
Subject: Question About IS-54 Standard
Date: 28 Mar 1994 17:31:07 GMT
Organization: Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle


Does anybody out there have a copy of EIA/TIA/IS-54B TDMA standard
proposed for cellular telephony?

Any information like ftp sites for the document, or address of the
organisation from where I can get it will also be appreciated.


sathya

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 28 Mar 1994 18:43:38 -0800
From: LincMad@netcom.com (Linc Madison)
Subject: Predictions About Future A/C Splits


I looked through David Esan's posting of the 1/15/94 NPA-NXX list and
came up with a few predictions of area codes that will split in the next
couple of years and others that will likely never split in my lifetime.

DON'T WORRY: YOUR AREA CODE WON'T BE CHANGING SOON

The following area codes could all at least TRIPLE the number of
exchanges in use without requiring a split.  Any split is thus quite a
long ways off.

807 - Thunder Bay, Ontario
906 - Upper Peninsula, Michigan
302 - Delaware
413 - Western Massachusetts
401 - Rhode Island
607 - Binghamton, New York
307 - Wyoming
802 - Vermont
719 - Colorado Springs, Colorado
506 - New Brunswick
707 - Napa/Eureka, California
417 - Springfield, Missouri
308 - Grand Island/North Platte, Nebraska
901 - Memphis, Tennessee
603 - New Hampshire
509 - Spokane, Washington
608 - Madison, Wisconsin

Others that could more than DOUBLE the number of exchanges include:
806 TX, 709=NF, 309 IL, 315 NY, 814 PA, 705 ON, 902=NS+PE, 518 NY,
507 MN, 812 IN, 712 IA, 808=HI, 606 KY, 202=DC, 218 MN, 918 OK, 613 ON,
609 NJ, 208=ID, 819 PQ, 815 IL, 715 WI, 915 TX, 805 CA, 702=NV, 618 IL,
505=NM, 319 IA, 517 MI, 419 OH, 304=WV, 318 LA, 207=ME, 204=MB, 912 GA,
519 ON, 605=SD, 701=ND, 418 PQ, 801=UT, 502 KY, 217 IL.

I've left out a few that are recent products of splits or are
otherwise experiencing considerable growth.  An '=' means "entire
state/province."  All of the above should be good for at least 35 to
40 years at currently projected rates of growth.

HOLD OFF PRINTING STATIONERY, YOU'RE NEXT IN LINE

Splits have already been announced for 205=AL, 602=AZ, 206 WA, 708 IL,
713 TX, and 213/310/818 CA.

703 - Virginia suburbs of D.C. and down along WV border
403 - Alberta/Northwest Territories/Yukon Territory
      Might well be the first three-way split (two in AB, one for NT/YT)
604 - British Columbia
216 - Cleveland/Akron Canton Youngstown, Ohio
803 - South Carolina
303 - Denver, Colorado (previous split was ineffective?)
615 - Nashville/Knoxville Chattanooga, Tennessee
503 - Oregon
813 - Tampa, Florida
214 - Dallas, Texas (again)

A little bit farther down the list we have:

612 MN, 305 FL, 501=AR, 203=CT, 904 FL, 619 CA (again), 405 OK, 817 TX,
804 VA, 310 CA (just created and filling up rapidly), 717 PA, 312 IL,
414 WI, 514 PQ, and 718 NY.  Most of these are at least 3 to 15 years
off, though.

The splits in 703 and 214 in particular may put to the test the
sanctity of the "you must dial 1 for all toll calls, and you must be
able to dial all local calls without a 1" arrangement, because of the
considerable likelihood that the new area code assigned will duplicate
an existing prefix in the affected area or an immediately adjacent
area.  If so, the preservation of 10-digit "metro dialing" will
require moving 10,000 customers at a chunk, and considerably more
complicated advance planning (adding lead time for the prefix change
to the normal lead time for the area code split and later trying to
route calls to the old number to the correct recording for wrong NPA
or wrong prefix).


Linc Madison   *   Oakland, California   *   LincMad@Netcom.com

------------------------------

From: rbecker@xap.xyplex.com (Ralph Becker)
Subject: Re: Windows or DOS Caller ID Program
Date: Tue, 29 Mar 1994 09:00:23 ET
Organization: Xyplex Customer Support


In article <telecom14.152.1@eecs.nwu.edu> Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM> writes:

> Steve Lindsay <slindsay@nyx10.cs.du.edu>, writes to TELECOM Digest
> as follows:

>> Does anyone know of a little DOS or Windows shareware program 
>> that will act like the one of those caller ID boxes?

>> Or is there some AT commands I can type in to my communication 
>> program to extract the phone number that is calling me?  I 
>> don't want my modem to answer; just tell me what number is 
>> dialing me.

> As I have mentioned to people, many times, you *cannot* get caller ID 
> information on a computer modem (or any other device) unless *all* of the 
> following is true:

> 1.  You must be on a telephone switch that support it.
> 2.  Your local telephone company must offer it.
> 3.  You must have subscribed to caller-id service.
> 4.  The caller must be on a telephone switch that supports it.
> 5.  The caller must not use *67 or otherwise be blocked.
> 6.  All connections between you and the caller must support caller-id
>     and retain the information, and the intervening long distance 
>     carriers must provide it.
> 7.  Your modem or (receiving telephone) has to have the circuity to accept
>     the special 1200 baud signal which is *not* the same as regular 1200
>     baud data.
> 8.  Your modem must have the caller-id code enabled.

This article about the requirements to get caller ID was interesting
and informative, but does not address the question being asked (I
believe).

I am in the same situation as the original author.  I have Caller-ID
service at my home, and I have a stand-alone Caller-ID box that
usually displays the numbers of callers in my local area codes (508 &
617; BTW, I've never seen one from outside those areas ... yet).
However, I have a Practical Peripheral PM14400FXMT modem, and it
supports Caller ID, and I, too, would like a Windows utility that
basically acts like my stand-alone Caller-ID box.  I want the utility
to display incoming caller information in real time, and also have to
ability to log this data to a file if I want.  I should be able to
scroll thru some number of recent calls, etc, etc.

The question is: does such a utility exist?


Ralph Becker
Xyplex Customer Support [Tech. Support hotline 800-435-7997]
rbecker@sup.xyplex.com or 71174.1262@compuserve.com

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 28 Mar 1994 11:27:51 CST
From: Andrew C. Green <ACG@dlogics.com>
Subject: Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime?


Peter M. Weiss <PMW1@PSUVM.PSU.EDU> writes:

> I wonder if a parallel answer can be extrapolated based upon CB radio
> and/or cell phones on the highways?

I think results will differ; most reporting from the highways tends to
involve mechanical difficulties and medical emergencies (e.g.
crashes), though of course drunk drivers are also called in.

I do a good amount of highway travel, and have equipped my car with
both a CB radio and cellular phone. On various occasions I have used
both, to different ends: the CB is useful for line-of-sight conversa-
tion with both truckers and State Police, though the latter don't
always monitor either Channel 19 (the truckers' channel) or Channel 9
(the emergency channel), at which point my cellular phone will call in
the cavalry. I've heard more than a few frustrated truckers trying to
contact the police over the CB about breakdowns or accidents, but
receiving silence in return.

For no-holds-barred emergencies, I can either try calling a 10-33 on
the CB (Channel 9 is usually deserted within the short range of my
antenna but Channel 19 will always get a response), or I can dial *999
for a more certain response, if not a more prompt one.


Andrew C. Green
Datalogics, Inc.          Internet: acg@dlogics.com
441 W. Huron              
Chicago, IL  60610-3498   FAX: (312) 266-4473

------------------------------

From: jeff@bradley.bradley.edu (Jeff Hibbard)
Subject: Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime?
Date: 28 Mar 1994 11:42:46 -0600
Organization: Bradley University


> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Sometimes when you call 911 the dispatcher
> puts you through a alot of questions ("how do you know that is what he
> is doing?"; "are you the owner of the property?", etc.) and they never
> do respond or they tell you the police have already responded and consider
> the report unfounded.  PAT]

This must be a regional difference. I've called 911 (or its seven-digit
equivalent from my cellular phone) several times from various cities
here in downstate Illionis, and I've always been surprised by the
complete lack of interest in who I am and how I'm involved.  They just
politely take the report and either say that they'll send someone out,
or say that they've already heard about it and an officer is on the
way.

------------------------------

From: davep@u.washington.edu (Dave Ptasnik)
Subject: Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime?
Date: 28 Mar 1994 19:10:56 GMT
Organization: University of Washington


howard@hal.com (Howard Gayle) writes:

>> A friend suggested to me that, sometime in the future, almost everyone
>> will carry around a cellular phone almost all the time.  She thinks
>> this will significantly reduce the amount of crime, because it will be
>> very easy to report a crime or other suspicious behavior that one

jim@isnpo1.pwss.gov.ab.ca@math.fu-berlin.de(James, Slupsky) writes:

> I seriously doubt that crime will be reduced.  A lot of people in society 
> today avoid "getting involved".  Why would the sudden availability of
> communications change them?

> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Here in the USA, you have to be very careful
> about getting involved. It is best not to, since if you do, you are often
> treated like a criminal and the (true) criminal like the victim. It goes

Wandering a little far afield from hard telecom issues -- One SF author
has postulated a world where anyone who wants to can wear "glasses"
that include cameras and microphones that digitally transmit everything 
that the wearer sees to some big storage system.  Then if they see a
crime, they can immediately report it to the police, and the police
have an easy time of getting convictions.  Most of the wearers are
retirees who end up "spying" on kids.  Greatly reduced the amount of
violence against the old folks, even in rough parts of town, and
greatly cut down on graffiti, greatly cut down on personal freedom.
Even making obscene gestures to the watchers was a harshly punished
crime.  To misquote Heinline, an observed society is a polite society.

All of the above is nothing more than the personal opinion of - 


Dave Ptasnik  davep@u.washington.edu

------------------------------

From: uswnvg!arobson@uunet.UU.NET (Andrew Robson)
Subject: Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime?
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 1994 15:43:30 -0800 (PST)


The Half Moon Bay Review (a local paper in CA) carried an article on
the front page about a bank robbery foiled by a cell phone.

When the getaway car roared away, a local citizen was offended by the
reckless driving.  He didn't know about the robbery, he just wanted
safe driving on the local streets.  He followed long enough to call
the licence, a description of the car, and its direction to 911.
There are only three roads out of town, with no turn off for several
miles.  The robber was arrested a couple of minutes later.

It may not help much overall, but cellular will help catch some of the
bad guys.


Andy

------------------------------

From: dannyb@panix.com (danny burstein)
Subject: Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime?
Date: 29 Mar 1994 03:02:26 -0500


(Stories and scenarios of people witnessing crimes, then using
cellular phones to call for help, police arriving and making the world
safe for democracy, deleted).

A similar thread made its way onto some radio oriented groups umptity
months ago, and the consensus was that yes, as the cost of individual
telcom equipment went down we'd see lots more people with them. Also
suggested was that there'd be rentals of 'emergency only' phone/radios
by the same folk who brought you the 'I've fallen, and I can't get up'
stuff.

HOWEVER, an equally plausable scenario was raised. Namely that Mrs.
Fletcher, when she witnesses a crime (or is about to be a victim),
doesn't pick up her communicator, but instead, pulls out her revolver
and wastes the bad guy.

An interesting concept ...


dannyb@panix.com (or dburstein@mcimail.com)

------------------------------

From: rs2510@dice.nwscc.sea06.navy.mil (Rhett Salisbury)
Subject: Re: Will Widespread Use of Cell Phones Reduce Crime?
Date: 29 Mar 1994 07:11:18 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway


>> A friend suggested to me that, sometime in the future, almost
>> everyone will carry around a cellular phone almost all the time.  She
>> thinks this will significantly reduce the amount of crime, because it
>> will be very easy to report a crime or other suspicious behavior that
>> one observes.  I'm skeptical, but it seems like an interesting topic
>> for discussion.
 
>> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Here in the USA, you have to be very
>> careful about getting involved. It is best not to, since if you do,
>> you are often treated like a criminal and the (true) criminal like the
>> victim. It goes against my grain to say it, but you are better off not
>> getting involved unless the crime is against you personally.  PAT]

> Sorry Pat, this is the kind of crap that keeps things the way they
> are.  If you are not willing to get involved you have no right to
> complain about how screwed up things are.  We will not have an end to

     -- good stuff deleted --

> Back to the original question, will the proliferation of cell phones
> reduce crime?  The answer is: no, but your use of one might.

In total agreement with Sean Slattery -- Pat should excercise a
certain measure of responsible judgment.  When someone flippantly
tells an international community that not only we live in a extremely
dangerous country, but also that it is dangerous to become 'involved',
someone will be injured due to your inaction.

If you have had instances when you have been put in danger or harassed
because of your involvement you should document it and report that.
The 911 operator should be fired and charged with something.  If you
are just ranting and raving about a urban legend, remember that
excuses are like b--- holes, everyone has one and they all stink.


Rhett Salisbury aka RS2510     (812)854-4709                             
dice.nwscc.sea06.navy.mil (130.163.1.200) 


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: But it is true. Ask German citizens who
come to visit the USA in Florida whether or not the USA is a violent
country. Check the crime statistics in the USA versus around the
world.  We have the highest rate of crime in the world. Sorry if you
don't like hearing it told to people outside the USA, but that's the
way it is.  Ask the residents of Milwaukee who called the police to
report Jeff Dahmer (serial killer two years ago) only to have the
police brush them aside if it pays to get involved. Ask anyone who
has called the Chicago Transit Authority to report the constant and
blatant thievery by subway collection agents who pocket fares without
registering them if it pays to get involved -- or if in fact, if you
are an employee of the CTA and you report your fellow employees if
it isn't *you* that gets punished instead. Ask at the US Department
of Justice what happens if you are an employee who complains about
all the *stolen and pirated software* your agency is using. Ask a
social worker for the Chicago Board of Education what happens when
you report that the principal of the school where you are assigned
is a pedophile -- because the children have confided in you what
happened. You'll lose your job! Ditto the few honest people who work
for the CTA. I see it happen over and over again. And if you witness
a crime and report it, you'll spend the next six months or a year in
court getting harassed by the defendant and his attorney. My advice
is don't get involved unless you like being a martyr. Criminals are
given so many rights, *you* will be made to be the villian instead.  PAT] 
 
------------------------------

From: ttilkey@attmail.com (Tom J Tilkey)
Date: 29 Mar 94 12:59:16 GMT
Subject: LEAGUE @ AT&T Press Release


News Release
For further Information:

Tom Tilkey
201-644-7904 (office)
201-993-8581 (home)

Charles Turner
508-960-2695 (office)

 BOSTON - - LEAGUE (Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay United Employees
at AT&T) will hold its third national conference here from May 18 to
21, at the Swissotel.

 More than 350 AT&T employees are expected to attend the three
day professional development conference which focuses on workplace
issues for bisexual, lesbian and gay employees.  Theme for the
conference is "United in Diversity".

 Conference guest speakers include the Honorable Barney Frank,
member of Congress from Massachusetts; Rabbi David Horowitz; Reese
Smith and Cynthia Balogna, Levi Strauss Co.; and Ken Sheppard of the
Liberty Consulting firm.  Award winning author Brian McNaught will
present a session on internal homophobia.

 In addition, two senior level AT&T executives, Jerre Stead and
Pat Russo, will discuss the corporation's Diversity Strategy Plan.
They will update participants on efforts to create productive and
inclusive work environments where everyone can contribute to the
success of the business.

 Workshop topics include domestic partner benefits; managing
careers; race, class and gender issues in the gay community; lesbian
invisibility; and countering hate groups.

 LEAGUE is an educational and support group that addresses
workplace environment issues affecting employees or their families,
friends or colleagues who are lesbian, gay or bisexual.

The organization has more than 2,000 active members in 26 chapters
nationwide.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 28 Mar 1994 06:49:33 EST
From: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Subject: About the Chicago Post Office
Organization: Tansin A. Darcos & Company, Silver Spring, MD USA


Thought you might find this interesting:

Unofficial Summary of the Rush Limbaugh Show
for Wednesday, March 23, 1994

BRIEF SUMMARY OF TOPICS: 

Chicago postal workers burning and abandoning mail instead of
delivering it;

o Investigators for the U.S. Post Office in Chicago have found that stacks
  of mail were thrown under bridges, stashed in garbage cans, burned, 
  etc. - the postal workers involved evidently were lazy and didn't want 
  to do all their job. Chicago residents are livid at this, so when 
  Postmaster Marvin Runyon went out there to take a look for himself, 300 
  of them bombarded Runyon at a recent town meeting. 

  Tens of thousands pieces of mail dating back to 1979 were found burning
  recently, and last month 40,000 undelivered pieces of mail were discovered
  in a postal worker's truck; that postal worker was suspended, but not
  fired. In January, test letters that were sent to Chicago addresses were
  discovered in a dead letter office in Minneapolis. 

  Runyon has promised to "fix this," although it might take up to five
  years. Rush asks, though, if it is any wonder that the Chicago Post Office
  is in such bad shape, given that Chicago is Dan Rostenkowski's home
  district; Rostenkowski, of course, is implicated in the House Post Office
  scandal. 


Paul Robinson - Paul@TDR.COM

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #154
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