telecom@ucbvax.ARPA (08/16/85)
From: Moderator <Telecom-REQUEST@MIT-XX.ARPA>
TELECOM Digest Thursday, August 15, 1985 4:48PM
Volume 5, Issue 19
Today's Topics:
976 and data under voice
Sprint service in the Boston area
50K baud over phone lines
Re: TELECOM Digest V5 #16
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Date: Wed, 14-Aug-85 20:00:43 PDT
From: vortex!lauren@rand-unix.ARPA (Lauren Weinstein)
Subject: 976 and data under voice
976 numbers exist in many parts of the country. They've been here
in L.A. for quite sometime, and numbers exist for all sorts of insanely
useless and a few semi-useful things. But really, "dial-a-scary-story"
for $0.95 plus toll? Jackson hotline? Three different groups running
astrology lines?
The program providers receive a certain cut from each call on a
sliding scale. The services require a good deal of money to get
started, since there is a minimum number of lines that must be
supported (20? Something like that...) and they must be placed
close to the 976 serving CO or massive FX charges would result.
At least here in Californai, these numbers have become the target
of very angry parents and various pending legislation. The problem
is that there are lots of TV ads for these numbers, but they often
didn't mention who RAN the line (and until recently, telco wouldn't
tell you) and they still often only mention the charges in fine print
at the bottom of the screen. Kids have been calling these numbers
like crazy (there's even a "tell-me-a-story" line) and in many cases
have run up ENORMOUS bills. In one case where there was a contest
line, where each call cost something like $1, some kid ran up
$1000's in charges over a couple of days. The parents feel that
the advertising is very misleading, tries to entice kids, and that
telco should be responsible for blocking these numbers upon request.
At the current time, I believe that PUC action has blocked anyone from
being disconnected for non-payment of 976 charges.
Did I mention that the charges for these services can run from something
like $0.20 to $3.00 or maybe even more? Plus toll charges. And the
maximum normal call length is only 3 minutes. The most common charge seems
to be something like $0.55, but many are much more expensive.
All in all, they seem to be pretty much a waste.
----
As for data-under-voice... yes, these services operate through the
time-honored "carrier" system, the same procedure used to add additional
phone lines to a location when additional pairs can't be found. Either
analog or digital techniques (via subcarriers) are used to provide
additional bandwidth, though a DC continuity loop is of course a requirement
for either.
You can pump a lot of data through many local loops that way, but it also
appears that service offerings using such facilities will be quite
expensive. Remember that the way things are going, local loops and
local services will be by far the most expensive part of your telephone
service. You'll be able to make long distance calls cheaply enough
(whether or not you'll HEAR the party on the other end is a different
matter) but local services are going to go sky high.
And we all know why.
--Lauren--
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Date: 15-Aug-1985 0205
From: cantor%lehigh.DEC@decwrl.ARPA (Dave C., 289-6803, APO-1/C8)
Subject: Sprint service in the Boston area
I recently received a blurb from GTE Sprint saying that 950-0777 service
would start working in my exchange (617-664 and 617-689) on 17-August.
On 14-August it did not yet work, but on 15-August it was operational.
The disadvantage is that I now have to enter my "travel code" along with
my authorization code.
There is no charge for calls to 950, but from some telephones it will be
necessary to dial 1-950-0777, according to the blurb.
Dave C.
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Date: Thu, 15 Aug 85 10:04:32 EDT
From: Earl Weaver (VLD/ASB) <earl@BRL.ARPA>
Subject: 50K baud over phone lines
> I have a feeling that soon, a modem will come along that will do real
> full duplex at well over 50K baud over a phone line. Is there anyway
> to find the upward limit of these things? I have been told many times
> that 9600 baud was imposible over a phone line, and that it had been
> PROVED imposible. How do you prove stuff like this, there are sooo
> many different ways to encodeand compact things!
> -Mike
I assure you that 50K baud over a voice-grade phone line is impossible.
So is 9600 baud. However 9600 bps (BITS PER SECOND) is another matter!
A nominal 3K-bandwidth phone line is good for about 3K baud. However,
there are clever people who have squeezed out more than 3K bps (to wit:
9600 bps & above) over a 3K baud channel. The confusion arises with
the use of the word "baud." Those who have "proved" that 9600 baud
is impossible over phone lines are using a different definition of the
term "baud" than those who say it's possible. It used to be that "baud"
meant a communication rate, and "bits per second" meant a data rate.
Terminals were hooked directly to computers and operated at some
data rate such at 1200 bps. Unfortunately, (from a semantic point of
view) some terminal vendors, when they put the capability to operate
at different data rates into their terminals, identified the rates as
300 baud, 1200 baud, etc. So the word stuck. Nowadays, most people
equate baud and bits per second (which purists regard as incorrect).
If the purists would switch their definition, or if the novices knew
(presumably from context) the difference between bits and baud, the
confusion would end. (i think...)
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From: dual!qantel!stv@Berkeley
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 85 15:14:28 pdt
Subject: Re: TELECOM Digest V5 #16
In article <9858@ucbvax.ARPA> you write:
>From: Moderator <Telecom-REQUEST@MIT-XX.ARPA>
>it to everyone. Apparently issue 14 never made it to USENET either.
It didn't get to here. Go ahead and re-post it to usenet.
Also, here are two questions you could post for me.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Intra-LATA calls on Sprint
I know that both the Bell companies and the ALDS companies say, and are
required to say, that you have to use your local Bell system to make
calls from one place to another in the same "Service Area". However, I
have used both Sprint and SBS to make such calls, with no problems. Do
they route them thru Omaha or something, to get around the regulation?
I haven't noticed how they're billed--perhaps they're charging me more.
The reason that I ask is that I make calls from work which are
long-distance but in the same "service area", and I don't want them
carged to my work. I could use my Bell "Calling Card" if it turns out
that it is still cheaper than intra-LATA Sprint, even with the $.40
Calling Card service charge.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Cellular phone info wanted
Okay, so I'm interested in getting a cellular phone. Do I have to buy
the hardware and the service together? The cellular services around
here are still charging $1000-$2500 for a cellular phone, depending if
it has 10-number memory and a battery or not, but I have heard rumors
that you can get a cellular phone of some kind at a discount for under
$500. Does anyone know where? Is it a good idea for me to try to do
this?
After I have my own unit, can I call any of the 800 numbers I hear on
the radio who advertize cellular service, and have them hook me up? Or
do some charge more than others, and I should shop around? I have heard
that it costs $40/mo plus "air time". Is this a typical rate? Does the
"air time" jazz mean that I am charged something when people call me, too?
I haven't seen any articles in Consumer Reports on which cellular phones
are best--has anyone seen a comparative report anywhere? Specific
recommendations are welcome.
How long before I can get one the size of Captain Kirk's (plus car
cigarette lighter cord)?
--
Steve Vance
{dual,hplabs,intelca,nsc,proper}!qantel!stv
dual!qantel!stv@berkeley
Qantel Corporation, Hayward, CA
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End of TELECOM Digest
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