covert@castor.DEC (John Covert) (03/29/84)
Although some countries view the CCITT recommendations as just recommendations,
others view them as the ONLY way to do anything.
Germany, for example, takes the recommendations as standards which must be
followed.
I hope this does not happen, but it would not surprise me at all if, once
the CCITT X.400 series recommendations are complete, the German Post Office
offers a Computer Based Message Service as described in the CCITT X.400
recommendations and declares the use of UUCP mail, USENET messages, and
other message services within or to and from Germany to be totally illegal
unless transmitted by this service in adherance with the CCITT recommendations
(and enforce this declaration -- and they can and will enforce).
The primary basic concept in Germany is that no one may carry information for
a third party.
This forbids the relaying common in UUCP mail.
Direct connections would still be legal if they don't violate the second
basic concept: Circumvention of charges is illegal.
This means that if it's cheaper to use UUCP than to use the CBMS service,
charges have been circumvented.
The German Post Office is deadly serious about enforcing its total monopoly
on all forms of communications. They operate all broadcast television and
radio transmitters, all cable television distribution systems, the only
videotext service (yes, that, too is a communications system, since it
provides the communications path to and from the information providers),
and all data and voice communications.
Even where privately owned devices are permitted (such as computers or
radios and televisions) they must be approved. In order to connect your
personal computer to a Post Office provided modem (and there are no other
modems) you must provide the registration number of your PC.
The manufacturer obtained the registration number by submitting his product
in a working form to the Zentralamt fuer Zulassungen im Fernmeldewesen
(Central Office for Approvals in Telecommunications), who tests the product,
including the programs provided, for compliance with CCITT recommendations.
All radio and television receivers must be approved and licensed and you
must pay a monthly fee to operate them. This is enforced by vehicles with
antennae which drive around and look for emissions.
A notorious case occurred recently, where a blind couple had purchased
an audio only television receiver while travelling outside the country.
After they had used it for a while, the Post Office discovered that they
were using an unauthorized device (it did not have a registration number;
in Germany, since the CCITT recommendations for television don't discuss
audio only devices, it would probably not receive a registration number
even if the manufacturer applied for one).
The case went to court, the couple was fined (not an extremely high fine)
and the receiver was confiscated.
Things are very different outside North America.
John Covert ...!{ucbvax,decvax,allegra}!decwrl!rhea!castor!covert