wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA (Will Martin -- AMXAL-RI) (01/03/86)
Reference the recent discussion & request for a parts source for an ordinary telephone part: Now that the breakup and deregulation has eliminated the telco monopoly on phone installation and repair, there should be a growth of the support industries that are needed behind an environment of various service shops and levels of expertise, just like there has been for decades in the electronics world. In that area, there are levels of individual consumer expertise (you can be completely ignorant of electronics, or you can be an Extra-Class ham who designs and builds his own gear, or anything in between), and levels of service shops and parts-supply sources to support these markets (the neighborhood TV repair place for the consumer who knows nothing [with a network of wholesalers and distributors behind it to supply that shop with parts and data]; mail-order parts places to sell you the chips and components if you know just what you want and what to do with them; Radio Shacks to sell a limited subset of that range, and to provide a limited knowledge base to people buying from them; Sams Photofacts to give detailed service data, and other how-to books and magazines providing various levels of info). So, where are the equivalents in the telephone world? Where are the Sams Photofacts for the various models of telephone equipment, from individual single-line instruments by various makers up through PBXs? Where are the mail-order telephone parts houses? Where are the neighborhood "Phone Service" stores? (Actually, I would expect smart TV repair types would expand into this market, but I don't see it happening.) Where are the telephone parts lines in the catalogs of the big electronics distributors and wholesalers (Newark, Van Sickle, Allied, etc.)? [I see a few test sets and specialized telephone tools, but that's about it!] Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places, but I would think that anyone who casually peruses the electronic press and is on mailing lists for much of this sort of thing should see a LOT more activity going on in this area. I don't see this. Is it just too soon? The breakup is only recent history so maybe now is to telephones like 1920 was to radio/electronics? Or are the companies and people who could move into this market scared that the telco monopoly will be reinstated and they'll lose their investments? Or do the ultimate suppliers of telephone equipment and parts restrict their distribution, and hide the needed information, so that the ordinary electronics distributors or retailers cannot get into this business? Anybody have any inside dope on this? Speaking of information, there used to be a few sources of telephone-related data; one little magazine called "TEL" -- "Telephone Electronics Line" -- comes to mind. It was smashed out of business by the telco security people (PacTel, I believe). True, I think they were more into blue boxes and toll fraud than into "how to fix your model xxyyzz ringer" articles, but maybe now it is time for some of this sort of magazines (or a column in Radio/Electronics or some ham magazine?). Could the telcos move now against this sort of publishing like they could back then? Well, any comments or discussion in this area? I, myself, see no reason why telephone servicing info or parts should be any more difficult to get than the same for TVs or washing machines. How long will it be before this is the case in the real world? Regards, Will ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin
Gene.Hastings@H.CS.CMU.EDU (01/04/86)
The way the markets have been developing, there are umpteen sources for cheap parts for WIRING supplied to discount department stores and small electronics shops (usually MRO, the kind of folks that used to sell you tubes), but the sets themselves are black boxes (understandable in light of registration-when you're a ham, or mess around with your TV, the only one you can electrocute is yourself). For the avid Seeker (there's one born every minute), there are avenues of information. For whatever reason, most of the industrial suppliers who have gotten into telephony have not been electronic, but electrical, viz Graybar and (my favorite) Anixter. I think the rationale has been based on what's used most by telephones is WIRE. Such firms will usually have a "will call" desk, and if you can stand handing payment to a secretary while looking at a room full of inside-salescritters, fine. The response you get will probably vary greatly (I've never gotten any useful information out of the local Graybar sales people, to the point where I stopped trying years ago). I only found out a) that there was a local Anixter office and b) they carried communications products in the midst of a search for flexible power cable (I remebered them as essentially a supplier to electrical utilities and contractors). The salesperson I deal with is extremely helpful, but is often out of her depth, which leads me to the next item: Catalogs!!! Catalogs are available from many suppliers (somtimes many catalogs, from subdividing their line), and usually you have but to ask. You can then ask for a manufacturer's data sheet, or the manufacturer's address, for MORE CATALOGS!! Some are informative, some are firestarters. There are several products I didn't know I wished someone made until I found a picture of it. Suppliers: Graybar, Anixter, Famous Telephone Supply, Buckeye Telephone Supply, Toner (serving largely cable TV companies, but you never know..). Manufacturers: Armiger, Reliable Electric, Siemon, Suttle, 3M, TRW/Cinch, Thomas & Betts. The Armiger Catalog is a case in point: It includes lists of descriptions and connections of RJ-cokebottle, very intelligibly, and as up-to-date as your catalog is (they aren't real good about updates, but they'll send a new catalog if you ask): Armiger and Associates, 2525 Ridgmar Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76116, 817/737-2900. And that's just for wiring! Call your local supplier, or the manufacturer for what in many cases strongly resembles BSPs. There usually is information available, if only connection diagrams and schematics. I'll probably be quiet for another 6 months now, but feel free to inquire if there's something you can't find. Be well, Gene Hastings