tnixon@uunet.uu.net (Toby Nixon) (03/11/91)
In article <telecom11.193.2@eecs.nwu.edu>, Paul.Schleck@iugate. unomaha.edu (Paul Schleck) writes: I can't answer your question about 1600 or 6400 autodialers, but I'll try to address these: > Have these autodialers been legislated or > AT&T-strongarmed out of existence? Has there been industry pressure > to make present autodialing phones "slow enough?" No, automatic dialing telephones, modems, and fax machines are still very much legal. The "big concern" of the LECs now is NOT voice autodialers, but fax machines with automatic dialing capability. Recently, standards committees in the USA and Canada cooperated to attempt to align the requirements FCC Part 68 and CS-03 (the Canadian equivalent of Part 68). In the area of automatic dialing, TIA TR-41.9 and its Canadian counterpart recently agreed that automatic dialing devices (voice, modem, or fax) should be limited to dialing only TWICE PER HOUR. However, if the device can detect a busy signal, the device can attempt up to FIFTEEN times per hour, if a busy signal is detected on each attempt. The device is permitted to remain off-hook no more than sixty seconds for each attempt. Most importantly, devices which are under external computer control (which means most modems) are exempt from these limits, since the FCC doesn't want to get into regulating PC communications software; also, dialers associated with emergency/security alarms are exempt. This agreement will be submitted, along with other proposed changes to align Part 68 and CS-03, to the FCC and DOC, where they must undergo the usual public notice/hearing process before being accepted. Toby Nixon, Principal Engineer | Voice +1-404-840-9200 Telex 151243420 Hayes Microcomputer Products Inc. | Fax +1-404-447-0178 CIS 70271,404 P.O. Box 105203 | UUCP uunet!hayes!tnixon AT&T !tnixon Atlanta, Georgia 30348 USA | Internet hayes!tnixon@uunet.uu.net