covert@covert.enet.dec.com (John R. Covert) (06/19/89)
Prospectus of the Radio Telephone Service of the German Bundespost (C-Netz)
[Translated by John Covert]
1 General
The German Bundespost is introducing a new generation of Radio Telephone
Service -- the Radio Telephone Network C.
Anyone can subscribe to this service for the transmission of information
(voice, data, documents, etc.)
Radio Telephones are, in accordance with the instructions of the Telecommunica-
tions Regulations, subscriber instruments of the public telephone network.
No right exists for the authorization or taking possession of a Radio
Telephone.
1.1 Radio Telephone Connection
A Radio Telephone Connection consists of a privately owned Radio Telephone,
which, as a vehicular telephone or, in the future, also as a portable radio
telephone, is connected without wires to the public telecommunications network.
A radio telephone can make direct dialled connections to stations of the public
domestic and international telephone network -- including other radio
telephones -- and can also be reached from these stations.
A Radio Telephone may only be installed in Land or Water vehicles (motor
vehicles, rail vehicles, domestic ships). Thus usage in aircraft is excluded.
The usage authorization is valid only in the service area of the German Bundes-
post.
Call Connections from and to Radio Telephones are established via Fixed Radio
Stations of the German Bundespost. Each Fixed Radio Station serves a specific
area, the Radio Cell.
The range of a Fixed Radio Station depends on the local geographic conditions.
In order to be able to conduct calls, the Radio Telephone must be located in
the service area of a Fixed Radio Station. In valleys, behind tall buildings,
in underpasses, etc., "Radio Shadows" can exist, which may occasionally cause
interruption of calls. Gaps in service are unavoidable because of radio
transmission technical reasons.
The usage of a future portable radio telephone inside buildings will be more
or less impaired depending on construction methods and location; this applies
especially in basements and underground garages.
1.2 Authorization Card
Each subscriber to the Radio Telephone Service receives an Authorization Card
issued in his name and equipped with his telephone number. This Authorization
Card, the size of a check-cashing card [same size as a credit card], enables
the operation of the Radio Telephone.
The Radio Telephone Number is not bound to the Radio Telephone, but to the
Authorization Card. The resulting call charges are accumulated and billed
based on this telephone number. Thus the Authorization Card is a credit card
and is to be carefully preserved from loss.
One can use one's own Authorization Card to make calls from someone else's
Radio Telephone, charged to one's own account, for example, from a taxi.
[In actual practice, taxis and rental car companies (at least AVIS) forbid
the use of your own card, in order to collect triple the normal rates for
usage.]
One can become a subscriber even without owning a Radio Telephone. Such
customers also receive an Authorization Card and can use this card to use
other authorized and technically accepted Radio Telephones. The call charges,
in this case, will be charged to the person possessing such a card.
Shared use or exclusive use by others is permitted. This will be interesting
for example for car rental agencies who can offer cars with radio telephones.
In this case the car rental agency must also be a subscriber.
The German Bundespost also issues Authorization Cards for measurement purposes
to Radio Telephone Dealers, if these dealers are C-Netz subscribers. No calls
can be made with Authorization Cards for measurement purposes.
The service order form for your radio telephone is to be kept near your OWN
telephone and must be presented in the case of any investigation.
Should you lose your Authorization Card, please, in your own interests, report
this immediately to the Telecommunications Office in Mannheim, telephone number
(06 21) 10 51 00, giving your name, your address, the Authorization Card number
and the Radio Telephone number. The Telecommunications Office in Mannheim will
arrange to block your radio telephone connection as fast as possible, if you so
request. There is a charge for this request. Then, please confirm your tele-
phonic loss report in writing. The Telecommunications Office in Mannheim will
then immediately send you a new Authorization card. Your radio telephone
number will not be changed by this process. With the new card you can use your
radio telephone without further ado. The use of your old card remains blocked.
This procedure offers a great level of protection against unauthorized placing
of telephone calls at your cost.
1.3 Nationwide Reachability
Every operational powered-up radio telephone in the service area of the German
Bundespost can be automatically reached by dialling the nationally uniform
access code (01 61) [+49 161] and the succeeding individual seven digit radio
telephone number without regard to the current location.
You can observe the operational status of the radio telephone by the illumina-
tion of a green light. The radio telephone should always be turned on, so that
your are always reachable.
1.4 Protection against interception of calls
The radio telephone system prevents the allocation of radio channels which are
already occupied by other calls. Listening to calls with your own radio tele-
phone is therefore not possible. These measures, however, offer no technical
protection against the illegal interception of radio telephone traffic with
special radio receivers, which is, in accordance with section 15 of the law
concerning communications devices (even in the case of carelessness) and
section 201 of the StGB, subject to legal penalties. As an additional security
measure, your radio telephone disguises [does not encrypt] the radio
transmissions. This offers protection against undesired interception of the
calls.
1.5 Cell switching
In the C-Netz, telephone calls are automatically transferred to the next fixed
radio station when you leave the service area of the current fixed radio
station as long as this is permitted by radio coverage. In general, a call can
be conducted over a long distance without interruption.
1.6 Conference calls
If the radio telephone is going to be used for a conference call, it is recom-
mended to stop driving and to make the call from the stationary vehicle in
order to avoid "Radio Shadows". Conference calls are to be booked through the
telephone office, telephone number 010.
1.7 Flexible call length
In the case of a heavy increase of traffic in a radio cell, the traffic
capacity of the radio channels must be managed through a waiting queue
technology in order to allow as many subscribers as possible the opportunity to
at least make a short call.
The otherwise unlimited call length becomes flexible, i.e. limited dependent on
traffic conditions. The speaking subscriber receives a short notification tone
and should then quickly terminate his call.
2 Overview Map and Service Gaps
The locations of the fixed radio stations currently in service are indicated
on the overview map. The covered areas are indicated by shading. Areas not
covered are white.
In the areas indicated as covered there will always exist, as a result of the
physical transmission requirements more or less large and numerous "Radio
Shadows" or Service Gaps (e.g. in valleys, behind free-standing buildings, in
underpasses), which can interfere with or completely prevent the establishment
or continuation of a call. As a rule it is not technically nor economically
possible or reasonable to eliminate these service gaps.
3 How does one become a subscriber?
3.1 Purchase
If you want to become the possesor of a radio telephone connection, you can
purchase your radio telephone yourself. You obtain information about purchase,
installation, use, and service of the apparatus from specialized dealers and
service providers. You may only use radio telephones and accessories which
have been authorized by the Bundespost; these carry a DPB-authorization number.
3.2 Service Order
You request permission to operate a radio telephone or subscription to the
radio telephone service without a telephone at the service order location for
telecommunications apparatus responsible for your place of residence. This
office issues your radio telephone number and arranges an entry in the
telephone book. You will be issued a telephone number even if you do not have a
radio telephone; this is necessary in order to produce your telephone bill.
Forms for the service order request can be obtained at the service order
location for telecommunications apparatus. You may place your radio telephone
into service only AFTER the service order has been processed by the German
Bundespost. The applicant must provide evidence of a place of residence or
work within the service area of the German Bundespost.
3.3 Acceptance
Prior to placing the radio telephone into service you must present it to a
service location of the Post Office established for the purpose of the
technical acceptance of radio telephones. There is no guarantee for the
freedom from deficiencies of the device or its installation associated with
this acceptance. If there are no objections raised at this acceptance, an
authorization card for the use of the radio telephone will be issued.
With this authorization card it is also possible to operate every other radio
telephone -- as long as its owner permits it. The resulting call charges will
accumulate on the telephone bill of the possessor of the authorization card.
3.4 Termination
When you terminate your radio telephone connection, the Post Office will notify
you how you are to take the radio telephone out of service. Please return the
authorization card to the service order location for telephone apparatus
responsible for your place of residence.
3.5 Transfer
At the present time, transfer of a radio telephone is only possible via
termination of the previous authorization and reestablishment of service by a
request from the new customer. A transfer regulation without termination and
reapplication is being prepared.
3.6 Telephone book
Subscribers with radio telephones are listed in the telephone book. In the
main entry at most three successive print lines are without charge. Only the
text necessary for looking up a subscriber will be entered. Auxilliary
listings are possible.
Subscribers without radio telephones will not be listed in the telephone book.
4 Charges
The following charges for a radio telephone will be billed by the telecommuni-
cations billing center in Mannheim:
4.1 Acceptance (including repeated acceptance)...... 100,- DM
4.2 Monthly base charge............................. 120,- DM
4.3 Monthly base charge for an authorization card
for measurement purposes.................... 10,- DM
4.4 Blocking........................................ 15,- DM
4.5 Call charges for directly dialled calls
4.5.1 Domestic calls
One message unit (0,23 DM) each................... 8 seconds
Off peak time as well as Saturdays, Sundays, and
nationwide holidays, one message unit each....... 20 seconds
These charges are valid for calls from radio telephones and from wire
telephones to radio telephones. [The CALLER always pays the charge;
there is no charge to the radio telephone subscriber to receive a call.]
4.5.2 International calls
Depending on the country, calls originating from radio telephones will incur
the charges associated with one of the three international rate zones [for
normal telephones] (without reductions for zones near borders) and then a
surcharge of one message unit each 16 seconds (off-peak 40 seconds).
4.6 Call charges for operator assisted calls
4.6.1 Domestic calls
Rates provided by domestic information.
4.6.2 International calls
Rates provided by international information.
4.7 Unauthorized use
In the case of unauthorized use of the radio telephone (for example before
the acceptance test or after the termination of the subscriber relationship)
a charge of 1.5 times the normal base charge for the period of the unlawful
use (but at least the charge for two months) will be levied.
5 Instructions for use
5.1 Directly dialled calls from the radio telephone
You reach fixed telephone connections from the radio telephone in the usual
manner; you dial only the city code and telephone number of the telephone
connection you wish to reach. Observe the operating instructions for your
radio telephone. If a channel is free, the connection to the desired sub-
scriber will be established. If there is no free channel at the moment, the
system will indicate to you either that no further calls can be processed at
this time or that your call has been placed into a wait queue. As soon as
your call has neared the end of the queue, the call processing in the public
telephone network is begun. If no channel is free after successful call
establishment, the subscriber you have called will receive the announcement
"Funkgespraech, bitte warten". [Real great if you're calling someone who
doesn't understand German! This recording can also occur on incoming calls.]
Immediately after a channel becomes free your connection will be established.
After a successful call, your radio telephone number, together with the accumu-
lated message units and necessary call data will be stored only for billing.
You can also conduct a call from one C Radio Telephone to another C Radio
Telephone by dialling 0161 and the radio telephone number. To call B Radio
Telephones [older system] (B or B2 devices) you must dial the code for the
base station where the telephone is presumed to be located. This means that
the approximate location must be known. The codes for B base stations can be
obtained from the telephone information service.
5.1.1 Telegrams
You may send telegrams from your radio telephone by dialling the national
standard number 1131 and by giving your radio telephone number.
5.1.2 Emergency calls
If you want to report an emergency, please dial the national standard numbers
110 (police) or 112 (fire department). Since the reporting centers are
responsible for a large area, it is absolutely essential that you provide an
exact location.
5.2 Operator assisted calls from the radio telephone
If the desired telephone connection cannot be established by direct dialled
service (e.g. connections to certain locations in the German Democratic
Republic or foreign countries), book the call with the telephone office. Use
010 for domestic calls and 0010 for international calls. As soon as the
telephone office answers, give your own radio telephone number.
(Example "HIER FUNKTELEFON C-Anschluss 2012345").
When booking the call, please give the name of the desired locality and the
telephone number of the desired telephone connection. If the call cannot be
established immediately, the telephone office will call you back. For each
manually established call you will receive a call charge form enclosed with
your telephone bill.
5.3 Directly dialled calls to radio telephones.
>From within the service area of the German Bundespost, a radio telephone is
dialled by dialling the access code 0161 and the seven digit individual radio
telephone number. (Example: "01 61 2012345"). If the desired radio telephone
connection is busy, this will be indicated by the normal busy tone. If the
radio telephone is not turned on or is not within the service area of a fixed
radio station, the caller will receive the announcement "Dieser Anschluss ist
voruebergehend nicht erreichbar".
For calls from international locations special procedures apply; further
information can be obtained from the international information service.
[In fact, you just dial +49 161 and the number, as expected.]
6 Taking a radio telephone along when leaving the service area of the German
Bundespost.
6.1 General
As a rule, the radio telephone may not be turned on outside the service area of
the German Bundespost (if it is permitted to remain in the vehicle upon
crossing the border). Be absolutely sure to observe this, as you can otherwise
disturb foreign radio services. If you fail to observe this you should expect
punishment.
Special agreements exist for the following countries:
6.2 Switzerland
During a temporary visit the radio telephone may remain in the car. It may,
however, under no circumstances be turned on, even near the border.
6.3 France
When crossing the border into France, the radio telephone may remain in the
car if you prepare the following label and attach it to the telephone:
"L'usage de cet appareil est interdit sur le territoire francais sous peine
des penalites prevues par l'article L.39 du Code des Postes et
Telecommunications" (The use of this device on French territory is prohibited
under pain of penalties in accordance with article L.39 of the postal and
telecommunications law.)
6.4 Italy
The radio telephone can remain in the car, but must be made unusable by the
border authorities, who will seal it.
6.5 Rumania
When crossing the border the radio will be sealed and the traveller will be
notified that he cannot use the radio in Rumania and that the seal must be
undamaged upon exit from the country.
6.6 Sweden
The radio telephone, if it is permanently installed, may remain in the vehicle.
No special permission is required.
6.7 Yugoslavia
At least one month before travel an application for permission to import a
radio telephone must be submitted to the foreign representative for Yugoslavia.
6.8 Spain
When crossing the border, a time-limited import-authorization will be provided
by the customs authorities.
6.9 Denmark
When crossing the border into Denmark the radio telephone may remain installed
under the precondition that an authorization has been obtained from the Danish
telecommunications authorities and that the telephone will not be used while
in Denmark.
6.10 Transit through the German Democratic Republic
When travelling from the Federal Republic to West Berlin and vice versa it is
necessary to obtain an authorization from the border authorities of the German
Democratic Republic. There is a charge for this authorization, which does not
authorize use of the telephone.
=============================================================================
[Moderator's Note: My very special thanks to John Covert for translating
this material and sending it along to the Digest.
In Wednesday's Digest: John Wheeler on Overseas Cellular Service; James
Crook on Canada - US Communications; and Fred Goldstein, responding to
Lars Poulsen on 'the fiction' of SLC's as an element of interstate rates.
See you tomorrow morning! PT]ms6b+@andrew.cmu.edu (Marvin Sirbu) (06/20/89)
Thanks again to John Covert for the interesting article on German Cellular Telephones. Note that, at the current exchange rate of approximately 2DM/$US, the monthly base charge is about $60/month, and the usage charge is about $0.92 per minute. This is at least twice the comparable charges in the U.S. Marvin Sirbu Carnegie Mellon University