
From telecom-request@delta.eecs.nwu.edu  Wed Aug 30 02:04:45 1995
by
1995
02:04:45 -0400
telecomlist-outbound; Tue, 29 Aug 1995 22:22:08 -0500
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To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu


TELECOM Digest     Tue, 29 Aug 95 22:21:00 CDT    Volume 15 : Issue 364

Inside This Issue:                           Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    CPUC Proposal (David Gershwin)
    Job Posting - Telecom Applications Engineer Wanted (Don Whitney)
    Unabomber in the News, Again (TELECOM Digest Editor)
    Enrollment Form - EXPLORING THE INTERNET (register@pacificnet.net)
    Anyone Else Been Lied to by AT&T? (Earl Vickers)
    Keeping Smart on Mobile Technology (jankwig@panix.com)
    1-800-555-xxxx (David B. Horvath)

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 
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Subscriptions are available to qualified organizations and individual
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The Digest is edited, published and compilation-copyrighted by Patrick
Townson of Skokie, Illinois USA. You can reach us by postal mail, fax 
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                       Phone: 500-677-1616
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All opinions expressed herein are deemed to be those of the author. Any
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----------------------------------------------------------------------



I'm actually going to be attending the meeting in L.A. on 9/20.  While
I may not know what the implications of this mean in reality, I'd
probably like to see PacBell get some competition -- or at the very
least, offer improved service for the kinda crap I seem to get now.

Here are some of my beefs -- if anyone has any ideas on which ones
would work, other points, etc., they would be welcome.  E-mail
me before the meeting ...

(1) PacBell offers priority ring -- will it work with someone calling
outside of PacBell's local calling area?  Say, someone five miles
away in GTE turf? Nope.  Sorry, dude.

(2) I'd like busy number redial -- won't work outside of my PacBell 
local 
calling area -- and that would include GTE turf as well.  

(3) I'd also like to see some competition with respect to rates for
Zone Unit/local long-distance calls -- PacBell and the biggies pulled
a big one when they convinced Gov. Wilson's PUC appointees that it's a
"good idea" to have the default billing for local long-distance calls
to be with one's local service provider, unless one enters a
five-digit prefix before dialing -- then you still don't know what
kind of prices you'll be getting.  Just don't pick Oncor, that's for
sure.  I'd like to see *declared* prices for toll calls -- sort of
like when you go to the supermarket, you can see the price tags, when
you go to a gas station ...

(4) I'd also like to see local phone companies stop deceptive
practices like charging someone a dollar a month for an unlisted
nubmer when someone can just pick a different name to be listed under,
i.e. Joey Ramone; like not really explaining to people how much of a
profit center/equivalent of extended warranty service contract rip-off
"inside wire maintenance" contracts are, with anything wrong usually
involving a three dollar piece of hardware.

(5) My local phone company should provide me with *any* phone book in
my local metropolitan area free of charge.  Right now, PacBell wants
me to fork over twenty clams for the privilege of using what should be
public information, and for what would conceivably be "good" for
PacBell directory advertisers ...

End of rant,

   In vino veritas.
David Gershwin         gershwin@cinenet.net
 WWW Pages:  http://www.cinenet.net/users/gershwin

    ---------- Forwarded message ----------
  To: David Gershwin <gershwin@hollywood.cinenet.net>

California Public Utilities Commission
San Francisco, California
August 1995

                   PHONE SERVICE FOR EVERYONE
               THE FACTS ABOUT UNIVERSAL SERVICE

WHAT IS UNIVERSAL SERVICE?

Universal Service means providing virtually everyone in the state with
a basic level of telecommunications services at reasonable rates.  It
ensures that low-income customers and customers in areas that are
expensive to serve (like mountain communities or less populated areas)
receive the same access to services as other customers.  Universal
service is not a new idea.  As described later, universal service
programs have been in effect for some time.

This fact sheet provides a summary of the issues and proposed rules
contained in the CPUC proposal which would govern all telecommunications 
carriers in California that provide basic telephone service.

THE LOCAL COMPETITION SITUATION

Currently, there is only one company providing local phone service in
your area.  However, in 1994, the California Legislature passed
Assembly Bill 3606, allowing other companies to offer local phone
service by January 1, 1997.  Local telephone competition will allow
you to choose a local telephone company the same way most people now
choose their long-distance company.  Rules recently issued by the
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will allow long-distance
service providers, cable television companies and other companies to
become competitive local telephone companies as early as January 1, 
1996.

These companies will be able to offer local telephone services in
addition to their current service offerings.  Local telephone
competition is expected to lower costs for you, the consumer, while
giving you the choice of newer, high quality services, in addition to
basic telephone service.

This competitive marketplace will foster economic growth and lead
to an improved telecommunications infrastructure for California.

What the CPUC is doing for you:

Principles guiding the Commission:

Ensuring that high-quality basic telecommunications services remain
available and affordable to all Californians regardless of geographic,
linguistic, cultural, ethnic, physical, or income considerations;

Providing consumers with the ability to choose among competing
telephone companies; 

Providing for the addition of new services to the basic service
package as these new services become more widely used, in order to
avoid some people having inferior access to information compared to
others;

Ensuring that customers have access to sufficient information to make
informed choices about basic service and universal lifeline telephone
service; and

Ensuring that telephone companies follow reliability, privacy and
security guidelines. 

THE CPUC  UNIVERSAL SERVICE PROPOSAL

Background:

The prospect of local telephone competition has raised some concerns
about a telephone company's "universal service" responsibilities in a
competitive environment.  In 1994, the California Legislature passed
Assembly Bill 3643, which requires the California Public Utilities
Commission, the state agency which regulates telephone companies, to
develop universal service policies in a competitive environment.  The
CPUC recently issued proposed rules for public comment which outline
its plan for maintaining affordable, high quality service within a
competitive environment.

The Commission released proposed rules on July 17, 1995, (Decision
95-07-050) for public comment.  The document outlines the definition
of minimum basic service, methods for subsidizing high cost service
areas, discounts for low-income consumers, and the need for consumer
information.  A final set of rules will be developed following public
hearings, filing of comments regarding the proposed rules, and
following any evidentiary hearings and/or legislative changes, if
necessary.

What is Basic Service?

Basic service is the set of features and capabilities consumers expect
when they order telephone service.  Basic service is not static, but
changes over time.  In the proposed universal service rules, the
Commission proposes a definition of what basic service is now, and how
it may change over time to include new services.

The Commission proposes that basic service should include what
Californians have come to expect when they order telephone service.
This includes a connection to the telephone network (the ability to
place and receive calls); access to the larger telephone network, such
as access to long distance carriers and information services; free
access to 911 emergency services; touch tone dialing; and billing
options, such as choice of flat and measured service.

As technology advances, new services will be offered.  Over time these
services may become so commonly used that they may be considered
essential.  Touch tone was once considered a premium service.  Over
time it became widely used and essential for many activities.  Touch
Tone is now included as part of basic service.  The Commission expects
that other, more advanced services may also become essential. For this
reason, the universal service rules propose reviewing the definition
of basic service every three years.  During these reviews the
Commission will consider the following factors: (1) Is the service
essential for participation in society? (2) Do a majority of
residential customers subscribe to the service? (3) Will the benefits
of adding the service to the basic service exceed the costs?

What About Service To Less Populated Areas?

Universal service also ensures that customers in areas that are
expensive to serve (like rural and mountain communities) receive the
same access to services as other customers.  In areas that are
expensive to serve, rates have been kept low in two ways.  First, the
California High Cost Fund (CHCF) reduces rates for customers of small
telephone companies.  All telephone customers currently contribute to
the CHCF through a small charge on their monthly phone bill.  Second,
by requiring large telephone companies to charge the same rate for
basic service within their territory, rates are kept at reasonable
levels in their high cost areas.

By introducing local competition, the Commission must consider new
ways to keep rates at reasonable levels.  Under the proposed universal
service rules, if you live in a designated high cost area, you will be
able to get a credit, or voucher, on your bill so your rates remain
affordable.  If there is more than one local telephone company serving
your high cost area, you can receive a similar credit regardless of
which telephone company you choose.

The purpose of this credit is to ensure that rates remain affordable
in areas where the costs of serving that community are high.  The
credit represents the difference between the cost of providing service
in an area and the rate the Commission considers affordable.  In order
to receive this credit for the customers it serves, a company must be
willing to accept an obligation to serve all customers in an area.  To
fund this universal service voucher program, the Commission proposes a
charge based on telephone company revenues.  Unlike the current high
cost fund, no direct charge would appear on your bill.

What About Low-Income Consumers?

Another aspect of universal service is providing lower rates for low
income customers.  The current Universal Lifeline Telephone Service
(ULTS) program for low income consumers will remain unchanged, with
the exception that it will be expanded to offer the choice of ULTS
providers.  Eligible low income customers will continue to pay either
$5.62 for residential flat rate service, or $3.00 for residential
measured service throughout the state.  This program is funded by a
small charge on all telephone bills.  What Information Do Customers
Need?

The CPUC is concerned about what information consumers need to make
informed choices about competing local telephone companies.  It
proposes that all local phone companies must provide customers basic
service information in a standard format.  Consumers will then be able
to make easy comparisons between basic service rates of different
local phone companies can be easily compared.  This is similar to the
way credit card companies present their rates.

CONSUMER PROTECTIONS

The CPUC recently established consumer protection rules governing new
local telephone companies in a related, ongoing CPUC proceeding.
These are interim rules, and will become effective January 1, 1996.
Consumer protection rules govern rate increase notice requirements,
disclosure of information to consumers when signing customers for
service, required procedures for handling billing complaints,
requirements for printing on bills information on how to receive help,
customer deposit return requirements, rules to provide for easy credit
establishment, privacy protection rules, and free blocking of 900 and
976 information service requirements.

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED

The CPUC wants your comments on its proposed universal service rules.
To provide an opportunity for comment, we will be holding public
hearings throughout California in September and October (as listed
below). The meetings will consist of a 15 minute presentation by
Commission staff, followed by an open public comment period.  Comments
can be oral or written and CPUC staff will be available to respond to
your questions.

September 20, 1995
7:00 p.m., Los Angeles
State Office Building, 107 South Broadway
Auditorium

September 26, 1995
7:00 p.m., San Bernardino
City Hall , 300 North "D" Street
Council Chambers

September 27, 1995
7:00 p.m., Barstow
City Hall, 220 E. Mountain View Street
Council Chambers

September 29, 1995
7:00 p.m., San Francisco
State Office Building, 505 Van Ness Avenue
Auditorium

October 2, 1995
7:00 p.m., San Diego
County Board of Supervisors, 1600
Pacific Highway
Board Room, Room 310

October 5, 1995
7:00 p.m., Fresno
State Office Building, 2550 Mariposa Mall
Auditorium

October 11, 1995
7:00 p.m., Roseville
Maidu Community Center, 1550 Maidu Drive

October 12, 1995
7:00 p.m., San Jose
City Council, 801 North First Street
Council Chambers

October 12, 1995
7:00 p.m., Volcano
Armory Hall, #2 Consolation Street


October 19, 1995
7:00 p.m., Redding
City Council, 1313 California Street
Council Chambers

October 24, 1995
7:00 p.m., Eureka
County Courthouse, 825 Fifth Street
Board of Supervisors Chambers


HOW TO CONTACT US 

If you cannot attend one of the hearings, but would like to submit
written comments, please write to:

The Public Advisor
California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Ave., Room 5303
San Francisco, CA 94102

or send electronic mail to: 

public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov

Mention that you are writing about "Universal Service Rules"
(D.95-07-050).  Indicate if you wish a written response, otherwise no
reply will be sent.  Your letter will be forwarded to the

_
                                                                                                 

Commissioners and will become part of the formal correspondence file
for this proceeding.

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



Hello,

Harris Semiconductor is looking for an Applications Engineer for its
Telecom IC products.  

Wanted: Knowledgeable and experienced engineer in the following areas: 

Subscriber Line cards, SLICs (Subscriber Line Interface Circuits),
CODEC, and Lightning protection devices.  Experience with
semiconductor design and/or manufacturing is a plus.  Good oral and
writing skills necessary since part of job function includes
publication of papers and app notes.  BSEE or higher required.

Harris Semiconductor is a manufacturer of solid state Subscriber Line
Interface Circuits (SLICs), CODECs and lightning protection devices.
It is located in Melbourne, Florida about 60 miles east of Orlando on
the Alantic coast.

Please reply to:    David Ridgley (HR)
                    email: dridgley@harris.com
                    Fax: 407-729-4140
                    Phone: 407-729-5421

                    Donald Whitney (Design Engineer)
                    email: dkw@semi.harris.com

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



So ... now they have decided -- as I did sometime back -- that the
mystery person known as Unabomber had his roots here in the northern
Illinois area.

A few weeks ago, I expressed my belief, based on conversations with
some net people, that Unabomber is a fellow whose initials are P.M.G.

The 'M' stands for Michael ... and the 'P' ... ummm ... oh what the
heck, it stands for Patrick. 

Well we had an interesting event right here in our little village of
Skokie yesterday. It seems the FBI came to visit the school teachers
in a large group meeting to discuss with them the case and ask them --
at least the ones who have been around as teachers for thirty years or
so -- to rack their brains and try to identify who this former pupil
of theirs might have been. Back in the era involved -- the 1960's --
we only had one high school in Niles Township (the sub-division of
Cook County, Illinois in which Skokie is located) and it was known in
those days as 'Nilehi' for short. Then came a second school and they
called it Niles West with the original Nilehi becoming Niles East.
Then came Niles North (a couple blocks from my house) in the middle
1970's and then later the closing of Niles East entirely as enrollment
dropped.

But hey! What the heck are they looking *over here* for?  My message
on the subject told them this fellow grew up in the Park Ridge and
Des Plaines area: that's the next township west, called Maine Township.
So now the FBI people are going to go over and question all the old-time 
school teachers over there at the Maine Township high schools, and
see what they know about it.

What the FBI needs to be doing is looking at the 'G' family when they
were living at 1030 Horne Street in Des Plaines, phone VAnderbilt 7-
6895, 
back in the late 1960's and see if that direction gets them anywhere. It 
is  
my belief that PMG's father was a fellow named GG at that address who 
also 
operated for many years a company in Park Ridge called G(xxxxxx) 
Builders
and Development Company at 709 Devon in Park Ridge, phone TALcott 5-
6654.
They built homes, you know,  like carpenters ... the children would have 
gone to the Maine Township schools, not the schools over here in Skokie
for chrissakes!

I wonder if they have looked at the connection I gave them for GG out
in San Fransisco, where the GG stands for the same name as the one here
in those days and the fellow who answers the phone seems figity and
nervous and lies through his teeth and admitted he used to live here in 
the area back in the 1970's, 'but only as a way to dodge the draft'. 

Nah, they probably have not had time to do all that ... after all,
there is a rumor going around on the Internet that some fellow in
Alaska logged in on the Internet one day and thinks he might possibly
have seen a message about kiddie porn somewhere; all available agents
have been sent up there to kick in his door, seize all his computer
equipment, inspect the encrypted files on his disk drive bit by bit,
interogate all his family members as material witnesses, etc.  No time
left to be getting all involved looking for Patrick Michael G ...
priorities, you know.

I would apply for the million dollar reward they offered for
information leading to his arrest, but it is likely they would weasel
out of that also.  You know how much dislike they have for this hotbed
of perversion and anarchy known as Internet, and they surely could
never bring themselves to admit that the people on this net helped
solve their mystery.  We are supposed to be causing them all their
grief, not helping resolve it, and don't you forget that.

So as exciting as it would be to find out that Unabomber grew up as a
child right here in our own little village of Skokie, I'm afraid the
FBI guys are looking a little too far to the east. They need to take
the advice of the author who said 'go west, young man ...'  Like maybe
about ten miles west out to Park Ridge/Des Plaines.

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

In other Unabomber news, I got mail from James Bellaire and a few
other people who took me to task for claiming that the email I got
from the FBI on subject was fraudulent and forged. The folks who wrote
me about my 'stupid letter of the day' commentary enclosed evidence
that indeed, fbi.gov gets their feed from the service provider
mentioned. So, I guess that letter from the 'unabom task force' was
for real.  You who read it here will recall they thanked me for my
input and said that if further information was required they would be
in contact. Then what do they do but show up here in Niles Township to
talk to the teachers ... hey guys, for the last time, try Maine
Township, okay?  Check the school records over there, and check with
the old, probably retired employees of the Builder and Development
Company.

If I have to discuss this topic here again -- and personally I find it
repugnant -- I may just name him completely and forget to use initials.


PAT

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



[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I believe very strongly in the work being
done by SPECTRUM Virtual University and suggest that readers of this
Digest may be interested in learning more about SPECTRUM by signing
up for the free workshop -- a virtual workshop -- that they are 
offering. 
Everything will be conducted via email, and this will be an excellent
opportunity for newcomers to the net -- and even some experienced old-
timers who have not kept up as well as they should -- to learn what is
going on. Particularly, those of you who participate via the non-
traditional
sites, i.e. Compuserve, AOL and other commercial services for whom 
Internet
connectivity has only recently become available will benefit from this
course. It is free, and as easy to join as filling out the form which
appears below.   PAT]

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

SPECTRUM Virtual University                     Spectrum@PacificNet.Net
Priority Correspondence                              FAX (818) 834-8221

             "The World Meets Here -- The Future Begins Here."

Welcome to our Fall/Winter 1995 workshop, "EXPLORING THE INTERNET."
This *free* workshop is sponsored by Spectrum Virtual University to
raise public awareness and provide greater access to the information-
rich highways of cyberspace. To complete your enrollment, just follow
the instructions below.

This form may be freely copied and distributed.  If you wish to enroll
a group of people in your school or office, simply send us their e-mail
addresses and we will send a form to each person.  Please use "Subject"
header "GROUP REQUEST 811" to expedite handling.

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

TO ENROLL BY E-MAIL:

Type your answers below.  If you cannot type on this form, retype the
headings and your answers in a new message.  E-mail completed form to
register@pacificnet.net

TO ENROLL BY FAX:

Print form and fax to (818) 834-8221. Please fax only the form!  It is
not necessary to fax back these instructions.

TO ENROLL BY TOUCHTONE PHONE:

Call our 24-hour Fast Touch registration line at (818) 899-7888.


= = = = = = = = = = = = = =   cut here   = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

ENROLLMENT FORM        SPECTRUM Virtual University          Fall, 1995 

Program Name    : Exploring The Internet #811
Your Student ID : #######
Your Full Name  :
E-Mail Address  :
Organization    :
Title           :
Street Address  :
City/Province   :
Postal ZipCode  :
Country:        :

Where did you hear about this workshop?  (Type answer in space below)
:

What do you hope to learn from this workshop? (Please be specific!)
:


[end of form]

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



In early July, AT&T (or their representatives) called me up and
offered me $50 to switch to AT&T. In a couple weeks, I got a check for
$10, and a $10 Preferred Customer Voucher. I called to complain and
was told that it takes four to six weeks to get the $50 check. So I
waited. Today I called and complained again. They apologized and
offered to send me a check to make up the difference of what they had
promised.

So, to get my $50, I have to stay on hold for 20 minutes, talk to three 
or four different people, mail in a coupon that isn't good until late 
September, and cash two checks if indeed I get the second one. This is 
not what I was promised, and if I hadn't persisted with them I wouldn't 
have gotten that much. 

This is classic bait and switch. Maybe it's AT&T lying to me, maybe
it's their contractors trying to pull a fast one, or maybe it was an
honest error, I don't know. Regardless, I'm filing a complaint with:

The California Public Utilities Commission
Consumer Affairs Branch
505 Van Ness Ave., Room 2003
San Francisco, CA 94102,

and

the Federal Communications Commission
Common Carrier Bureau
1919 M. St., NW,
Washington, DC 20554

And maybe if this has happened to enough of us, a class action lawsuit
might be in order. Where's Crackers the Corporate Crime-fighting Chicken 
when you need him? 


Earl Vickers earl@netcom.com

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



Hello.  Last week, I submitted a request for some adhoc responses to a
very informal survey I was conducting on how mobile technology users
(individuals, consumers, etc.)  get smart and stay informed or
educated on the technology *that they use for themselves*.  This last
emphasis was apparently not clear: the focus is on individual private
use of any type of mobile technology.

If you'd allow me to, I would like to request recipients of this
mailing to consider responding to this survey again, considering the
focus on mobile technology of any kind (cellular, laptop, printers,
PDAs, etc.) *which you use for yourselves*.

Hence, please respond back concerning the methods you utilize other
than books or magazines, such as attending trade shows, speaking to
dealers, speaking to colleagues or friends, using online discussion
groups, etc.

A single, quick email response listing the manner in which you stay up
to date on mobile technology would suffice.  

Thank you again for your assistance.

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



It looks like the 1-800-555 number space is available for "normal"
toll free phone numbers.

I got a call from a Contract-programmer broker in Texas (they wanted
to know if I was interested in a job down there), when I mentioned
that I wasn't interested but might be able to pass the lead on to a
friend who was interested in moving to TX, I was given a 1-800-555-
number.  I confirmed the number to make sure I heard it correctly.

Now what are the movies going to use to show someone dialing a toll
free number?


David B. Horvath, CCP    dhorvath@goldey.gbc.edu
Consultant, Adjunct Professor, International Lecturer


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I don't know what they will do now. Maybe
the YANG! principle should be applied.  YANG = Yet Another Noise Group.
Should I put up a message in news.groups calling for a discussion on 
what
to name the new group which will discuss how Hollywood should handle the
use of telephone numbers when telco no longer has the luxury of 
providing
them with numbers that won't disturb the real people?   PAT] 

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

End of TELECOM Digest V15 #364
******************************

                                                                                                                       
