TELECOM Digest     Thu, 7 Jul 94 01:17:00 CDT    Volume 14 : Issue 311

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    FCC Callback Ruling (Leroy Casterline)
    Book Review: "Using C-Kermit" by ds Cruz/Gianone (Rob Slade)
    Recommendations For Lightning Protection (Bert Roseberry)
    Questions About NYNEX Ringmate (Jeffrey W. McKeough)
    Workshop - User Interfaces for Communications Systems (Ashok Gupta)
    Looking For a Phone-Number: Country-Wide Instead of Area-Code (Wayne Smith)
    Seeking Info on TAPI/TSAPI SDK (Ed Pimentel)
    Looking For Source Code (Dong-Jun Wang)
    1-800-COLLECT vs. 1-800-OPERATOR/CALL-ATT (Jeffrey W. McKeough)
    China-HK Telecom Development (Cedric Hui)

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

From: casterli@csn.org (Leroy Casterline)
Subject: FCC Callback Ruling
Date: Wed, 06 Jul 1994 13:18:48 -0600
Organization: Cahill Casterline Limited
Reply-To: casterli@csn.org


Pat,

Sorry it took me so long to post this.  I was hoping to OCR it from a
fax, but no such luck. I typed it in, so any errors are mine ...

Leroy

Report No. CC-572         Common Carrier Action        April 22, 1994

              FCC AUTHORIZES THREE APPLICANTS TO PROVIDE
             RESOLD INTERNATIONAL SWITCHED VOICE SERVICE

        The Commission has granted the applications of VIA USA, Ltd.
(Viatel), Telegroup, Inc., and Discount Call International Co. (DCI),
to resell the public switched services of other U.S. carriers, over
the objection of AT&T.

        Viatel is a Colorado corporation that sought authority to
offer resold, tariffed international switched voice and facsimile
service between the United States and various international points.
Telegroup, an Iowa corporation, sought authority to offer resold
international switched voice and data service between the United
States and various international points.  DCI, a Florida corporation,
sought authority to operate a "typical telephone dialback operation"
between points in the United States and various South American and
Central American countries.

        AT&T, in its petition to deny, alleged that the applicants
intended to engage in a "call turn-around" or "call-back" service.
AT&T opposed the applications to the extent that the applicants
proposed to use the resold services to provide call-back services
using a "code-calling" configuration.  AT&T stated that a reseller
using "code-calling" instructs its customers in foreign locations
to dial a U.S. telephone number, hang up after a pre-arranged
number of rings, but before the call is completed, and wait for the
reseller (usually through a conferencing unit) to return a call to
the predesignated foreign telephone number, providing U.S. dial
tone to the foreign customer.  The connection between the calling
and the called party is established via a U.S-originated switched
service call to the called location.  The customer does not pay the
foreign carrier for the initial uncompleted call.

        After reviewing the applications and pleadings, the Commission
found that the public convenience and necessity will be served by
granting the applications to resell the international switched voice
services of various U.S. common carriers.  Moreover, the Commission
could not find, based on the record, that uncompleted call signalling
("code-calling") constituted an unreasonable practice under Section
201(b) of the Communications Act.

        The Commission has long recognized that increased competition
in the international marketplace benefits U.S. ratepayers, and has
routinely granted applications for Section 214 authorizations for the
resale of international switched voice services to further that goal.

        The Commission believes the proposed services would provide
similar benefits associated with increased competition, in line with
its statutory mandate to establish a rapid, efficient, nation- wide,
and worldwide wire and radio communications service.  The Commission
noted that use of the resold services for international call-back
activity could place significant downward pressure on foreign
collection rates, to the ultimate benefit of U.S.  ratepayers and
industry.

        The commission disagreed with AT&T that uncompleted call
signalling constituted an unreasonable practice under Section 201 of
the Act, or otherwise was not in the public interest.  The Commission
reemphasized, however, that resellers of U.S. switched voice services
are common carriers and continue to be subject to obligations of
common carriers, including those in Sections 201(b) and 214.

        AT&T alleged that this activity imposed costs on its
ratepayers through use of its facilities without compensation.
However, the Commission agreed with the applicants that AT&T had
presented no evidence that uncompleted call signalling occurred often
enough or made sufficient us of the network to impede
revenue-producing use of the network by AT&T or to otherwise impose
costs on AT&T or its ratepayers.  The Commission noted that AT&T and
its foreign correspondents have the ability to address uncompleted
call signalling practices that are imposing costs on them.

        In response to concerns expressed by AT&T and by certain
foreign carriers about the effect of uncompleted call signalling on
principles of international comity, the Commission required that the
applicants provide service in a manner that is consistent with the
laws of countries in which they operate.  However, the Commission
recognized that the legality of the proposed activities under foreign
law is a matter for foreign authorities and courts to decide.

        Action by the Commission April 12, 1994, by Order,
Authorization and Certificate (FCC 94-96).  Chairman Hundt,
Commissioners Quello and Barrett.

                              -FCC-

News Media contact: Patricia A. Chew at (202) 632-5050.
Common Carrier Bureau contact: Adam L. Kupetsky at (202) 632-1305.

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

Date: Wed, 06 Jul 1994 12:47:48 MDT
From: Rob Slade <roberts@decus.ca>
Subject: Book Review: "Using C-Kermit" by ds Cruz/Gianone


BKUSCKMT.RVW  940404
 
Digital Press / Butterworth-Heinemann
225 Wildwood Street   Woburn, MA  01801
Voice: 1-800-366-BOOK  Fax:   1-617-933-6333
or
Kermit Distribution   Columbia University
612 West 115th Street New York, NY  10025
Voice: 1-212-854-3703 Fax:   1-212-663-8202
Email: kermit@columbia.edu
"Using C-Kermit", da Cruz/Gianone, 1993, 1-55558-108-0
fdc@columbia.edu cmg@columbia.edu
 
Kermit is the most widely available communications software in the
world.  Versions on some platforms, however, may lack features
available on others.  Also, there may be a few computers to which
Kermit has not been ported.  This is where C-Kermit comes in.
C-Kermit is the C language source code for a very feature-rich version
of Kermit, very similar in function to the highly mature MS-DOS
version of Kermit.  This is the native version for at least four of
the Kermit versions on major platforms, and there is no longer any
reason not to have a Kermit for *your* machine.
 
This is the user level manual for C-Kermit.  (General advice on
porting, configuration and compiling is included with the source,
available from the Kermit distribution centre at Columbia University.
Extensive documentation and back issues of the Info-Kermit digest are
also available.)  Well thought out, well presented, well written, the
book is an excellent addition to the previous "Kermit: a file transfer
protocol" (BKKERMIT.RVW) and "Using MS-DOS Kermit" (BKUMSKMT.RVW).
 
The structure and order of the book is logically organized for users,
new and old.  Chapter three states that it assumes you are familiar
with the basic data communications parameters.  If you are not, it
directs you to a comprehensive tutorial in appendix two.  The only
minor oddity in the arrangement is that scripting, possibly of most
use to non-programming users, comes after the chapters on macros and
programming.  This is intended to give some basic programming concepts
prior to introducing scripts, since the book assumes no programming
background.  It is, however, possible to write simple scripts without
much in the way of conditional structures, controls or variables, and
it would be a pity if non-programmers gave up too early to find this
out.
 
C-Kermit will likely become, as far as possible, the standard for the
Kermit interface and functions.  This, therefore, will be the standard
Kermit user guide.
 
copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994   BKUSCKMT.RVW  940404. Distribution
permitted in TELECOM Digest and associated newsgroups/mailing lists.
 

Vancouver        p1@arkham.wimsey.bc.ca   "If a train station
Institute for    Robert_Slade@sfu.ca       is where a train
Research into    rslade@cue.bc.ca          stops, what happens
User             p1@CyberStore.ca          at a workstation?"
Security         Canada V7K 2G6            Frederick Wheeler

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

From: Bert Roseberry <ROSEBERRY@Eisner.DECUS.Org>
Subject: Recommendations For Lightning Protection
Organization: Digital Equipment Computer Users Society
Date: 6 Jul 94 14:52:04 -0400


Any recommendations on in-line lightning protection for the typical
residential phone?

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

Date: Wed, 06 Jul 1994 04:01:12 -0400
From: jwm@student.umass.edu (Jeffrey W. McKeough)
Subject: Questions About NYNEX Ringmate
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst


I'm considering getting Ringmate from NYNEX to help me screen calls.
I have caller ID, but for the time being it only works on intra-LATA
calls.  I also get a large number of local calls (both business and
personal) from UMass/Amherst's MD-110 PBX, all of which show up as
"out of area."  I would like to give one Ringmate number to my family
and distant friends, one to my friends locally, and use my main number
for all other callers.

I have a number of questions about the way the Ringmate feature is
handled in NYNEXville (and elsewhere):

1) Does NYNEX charge to have the Ringmate numbers nonpublished, or can
they be set up as "special non-listed" as with a second line?

2) If I choose to have all three numbers assigned to Call Forwarding
Variable, will the distinctive ringing pattern be preserved through
the forward?  (If it helps, my line is on a 5ESS.)

3) I have been considering getting collect/third party blocking on my
main number. (This after an incident last summer when my housemate's
friend called several 900 and 800 callback-collect phone numbers.  900
blocking is already in place.)  I have been reluctant, since there are
certain people from whom I would accept collect calls in an emergency.
Would it be possible to block only my main published number, while
still allowing collect calls to the Ringmate numbers?  This would
eliminate any further housemate/friend incidents, since the callback
would be to the ANI of the main number, but it would allow those in
possession of my Ringmate numbers to call collect if necessary.

4) I have Call Answering with busy/no answer forwarding.  Can I have
the Ringmate numbers programmed to forward to call answering even if I
decide not to have them assigned to variable forwarding?

5) There has been discussion in the Digest about selecting vanity
numbers.  Every company seems to have a different policy about what
numbers they will offer the customer and what fee, if any, they
charge.  Does anybody have any experience with NYNEX (MA) in this
area?  (I guess I could call my aunt, who's an area operations manager
in Eastern MA, and see if she could do anything, but I'd rather not
bother her if it's a simple matter.)

6) An AT&T EasyReach question: Will AT&T allow me to assign one of the
Ringmate numbers as my default number?  It would make sense since I
give that number out to the same people who I would give my Ringmate
number to, and they might call via EasyReach if they thought I wasn't
at home.  I could also forward PIN calls to the non-default Ringmate
number, which would allow me to tell if, say, my brother had called
with or without his PIN.  (I know that the calls are EasyReach because
the "gee whiz" factor always causes people to mention that they used
the 700 number.)

Thanks in advance for any information.


Jeffrey W. McKeough    jwm@student.umass.edu

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

From: gupta@prlhp1.prl.philips.co.uk (Ashok Gupta)
Subject: Workshop - User Interfaces for Communications Systems
Date: 6 Jul 94 09:14:55 GMT
Reply-To: gupta@prl.philips.co.uk
Organization: Philips Research Laboratories, Redhill, UK


                            Workshop Programme
                 "User Interfaces of Communication Systems"
                  
                  Workshop of Special Interest Group 2.1.2 
                           "Interactive Systems"
                        German Computer Society (GI)
 
                                to be held
                           in Hamburg, Germany, 
                     during the Annual Conference of GI            
                            and IFIP-Congress'94
                   "Computer and Communications Evolution 
                           - The Driving Forces -"
 
                Wednesday, August 31, 1994, 14:00 - 17:30 pm

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Gesellschaft fuer
Infor- matik, the German Computer Society GI, the 13th International
IFIP World Congress will be held in Hamburg, Germany, together with
the Annual Con- ference 1994 of the GI from August 28 through
September 2, 1994.
 
In the settings of the Congress/Conference the German Special Interest
Group 2.1.2 of GI, "Interactive Systems", will organize in its 22nd
year of work a workshop "User Interfaces of Communication Systems"
covering topics related to the use of computer systems based on modern
communication technologies.
  
Modern communication technologies used in public digital networks or
distributed computer systems demand new requirements in user
interfaces of applications, both for network management organisations
and for net- work users.  Specifically there exist problems in the
partly desired transparency of functional distribution, in explicit
network management by the user, as well as in the manner in which
users and system compo- nents cooperate in local and global networks.
The workshop concentrates on aspects of the user interface, rather
than the design, construction and running of networks themselves.
  
The workshop addresses problems and issues in such areas as electronic
mail and publication services, user interfaces to control and to
access scientific and other information networks, user interfaces of
communica- tion devices, and user interfaces in multi-user
applications.  Examples to be covered are new interaction techniques
for operating telephones, user interfaces for wide-area networks,
video-conferencing in its diffe- rent forms, tools and techniques for
designing and implementing multi- user applications, mobile computing,
and knowledge-based communication systems.
  
Relevant problems and vital issues of the computer and communication
evolution are addressed in this workshop -- two fields which continue
to grow together and influence each other in this decade and the next.
The papers to be presented deal with the human-computer interaction of
these existing and future computer-communication systems as seen from
diffe- rent angles, presenting various views of the field.
  
Programme Committee:                  Coordinator:

  K. Froitzheim, Ulm, Germany           Prof. Dr. Gerd Szwillus 
  P. Gorny, Oldenburg, Germany          Universitaet - GH -
  H.-J. Hoffmann, Darmstadt, Germany    Paderborn,
  D. Jaepel, Zuerich, Switzerland       FB Mathematik/Informatik
  P. Schulthess, Ulm, Germany           D-33095 Paderborn
  G. Szwillus, Paderborn, Germany       Phone  intl+49+5251+60+2077
       (Chairman)                       Fax    intl+49+5251+60+3836
                                        E-mail szwillus@uni-paderborn.de 

                            Programme
  
 Session 1    August 31, 14:00 - 15:30 pm    Chair Prof. G. Szwillus
  
 On the way to Knowledge-based Human-Computer-Human-Communication
         R. Gunzenhaeuser, W. Dilly, M. Ressel
         University in Stuttgart, Dept. of Computer Science
         (in German)
  
 Usage of Communication Services with Drag-and-drop Techniques
         K. Froitzheim, P. Schulthess
         University in Ulm, Unit Distributed Systems
         (in German)
  
 Adaptive User Interfaces for Electronic Net Services
         H. Dieterich, M. Schneider-Hufschmidt, N. V. Carlsen
         Siemens AG, ZFE ST SN 51, Munich
         (in German)
 
  
 Session 2    August 31, 16:00 - 17:30 pm    Chair Prof. P. Schulthess
  
 Interfaces for handling Multimedia Communication Systems
         M. Zajicek, X. Cao, D. Shrimpton, A. Tagg, J. Lehuby,
         D. Parish, P. Coventry, I. Phillips, J. Griffiths
         Oxford Brookes University & Loughborough University of Technology
         (in English)
  
 Aspects in User Interface Design for Mobile Multi-user Applications
         H.-W. Gellersen
         University in Karlsruhe, Telecooperation group
         (in German)
  
 The Virtual Office as a User Interface for Cooperative Working
         M. Sohlenkamp
         Gesellsch. f. Mathematik und Datenverarbeitung (GMD),
         Sankt Augustin
         (in German)
 
 Inquiries regarding the workshop to 
    Prof. Szwillus, Univ. Paderborn, szwillus@uni-paderborn.de
  
 Inquiries regarding the IFIP Congress and the GI-Conference to
    Prof. Wolfinger, Univ. Hamburg,  
                   wolfinger@rz.informatik.uni-hamburg.d400.de

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

From: wlsmith@valve.heart.rri.uwo.ca (Wayne Smith)
Subject: Looking For a Phone Number: Country-Wide Instead of Area-Code
Date: 5 Jul 1994 02:51:46 GMT
Reply-To: wlsmith@heartlab.rri.uwo.ca


I'm trying to locate a particular company (Periscoptics) but all I
have to go on is the name.  I have no clue as to where they might be
located.  I've tried 1-800-555-1212, but, since I'm in Canada, all I
can verify is that this company has no 1-800 number that works up
here.

So, instead of going through all the possible combinations of 1-xxx-555-1212,
is there any way I can find out where this company is, or what their phone 
number is?


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Possibly some reader familiar with the
company will write and give you their address and/or phone number.   PAT]

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

From: epimntl@netcom.com (Ed Pimentel)
Subject: Seeking Info on TAPI/TSAPI SDK
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 01:11:34 GMT


I am seeking information on pc based voice/fax/data software toolkits.
Who is supporting MS TAPi and or AT&T/ Novell TSAPI?  Who supports
Vbasic vbx? or Powerbuilder, Novell App Ware?  What are there
licensing arrangements?  Are there any who provides drivers/vbx that
supports the AT+ V options for modems?  Who has low cost PC based dsp
boards that support fax/voice/v.fast and or the latest voice view
standard?

Thanks in advance,

Ed Pimentel
    p.o. box 95901              epimntl@netcom.com
    Atlanta, Ga. 30347-0901     epimntl@cybmondo.atl.ga.us
    404-985-1763 voice          70611,3703@compuserve
    404-985-1198 Fax/Data/CMC

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

From: wangdo@ecf.toronto.edu (WANG  DONG-JUN)
Subject: Looking For Source Code ...
Organization: University of Toronto, Engineering Computing Facility
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 1994 22:20:20 -0400


Hi, folks:

I am looking for C library functions which provide interrupt driven
RS-232 communications up to 115k baud for up to 34 COM ports, and
support: hardware handshaking and Xon/Xoff;NS 16550 UART; ANSI and
VT52/100 terminal emulation; Kermit, ZModem and YModem and YModem
protocols.

Does any one have the above source code or know the ftp site?

Thank you for your time.

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

Date: Thu, 07 Jul 1994 05:34:44 GMT
From: jwm@student.umass.edu (Jeffrey W. McKeough)
Subject: 1-800-COLLECT vs. 1-800-OPERATOR/CALL-ATT
Organization: University of Massachusetts, Amherst


After seeing the 8934th ad touting the benefits of COLLECT vs.
CALL-ATT, I decided to call the respective carriers and find out who
really has the lowest collect surcharge.  The result: it's a tie.
Both MCI and AT&T charge $1.50/call (plus the appropriate per-minute
rate) for parties receiving collect calls through these services.
AT&T charges $.55 more for a "live" operator ($2.05), and I forgot to
ask what MCI charges.

An interesting note: AT&T said that they will discount 1-800-CALL-ATT
collect calls for True USA customers, while MCI said that 1-800-COLLECT 
calls are charged at the full rate to their customers, since the
collect calls do not come from a calling circle member.  MCI calls
accepted by AT&T customers will not receive any discount. So I guess
that if you are an AT&T True USA subscriber (which I am), 1-800-CALL-ATT 
offers you a better deal.

Of course the ads try to persuade the caller, and not the recipient,
so I guess I only get a discount if AT&T's ads work.  It's interesting
that here you have a case in which the billed party has no control
over the carrier selection.  (Other than to refuse the call, but
depending on the circumstances that might not be a good idea.)


Jeffrey W. McKeough   jwm@student.umass.edu

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

From: chui@netcom.com (Cedric Hui)
Subject: China-HK Telecom Development
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 1994 06:38:39 GMT


Last month Motorola announced that it is investing US$40 million in
Hong Kong to develop a high speed wireless computing network based on
the latest microcellular packet switched technology.

In the meantime Northern Telecom introduced the Proximity family of
wireless access equipment for telephone networks at the Pan-Asia
Wireless Local Loop Summit Conference in Hong Kong.

Since China and HK are tied closely both politically and economically,
these recent telecommunications developments are significant that it
shows the readiness of the China-HK telecom market in deployment of
new technology and the growth potential of the market.

The June 94 issue of the LAN magazine cited that "Both (Chinese)
gov't and private enterprise are including computer and telecommunications
businesses among the industries to receive top priority in financial
backing." and "the International Data Corp studies project a 
growth rate in China's information technology market of between 14.5%
and 18.5% per year between 1991-1995%".

Amidst the growth potential of the vast market and the absent of
telecommunications infrastructure in some area, China will enjoy the
advantage of transfering advance technologies from the West, avoid
pitfalls and obsolete technologies.

By the way, the Computer Network Center of Chinese Academy of Science
has recently established direct connected to the Internet to the US.
The people's Republic of China's top level domain is CN-DOM.
Initially, the CAS, Tsinghua & Beijing University' campus networks
will be connected to Internet via Stockton(US).  China has also
decided to construct nation wide education computer networks which
connect six universities by the end of this year thru X.25 network.
Perhaps, not too far off, we will see a China offramp sign on the
Information superhighway.

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

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #311
******************************
