telecom@ucbvax.ARPA (01/08/85)
From: Jon Solomon (the Moderator) <Telecom-Request@BBNCCA> TELECOM Digest Mon, 7 Jan 85 23:08:46 EST Volume 4 : Issue 143 Today's Topics: Circuit Switch Digital Capability What about party lines? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 6 Jan 85 02:55 EST From: Paul Schauble <Schauble@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA> Subject: Circuit Switch Digital Capability To: Telecom@BBNCCA.ARPA I have recently been reading about a new data transmission system called CSDC. This basically extends the 56kb digital trunk to the subscriber's location and provides 56kb full duplex data circuits. I would like more information on this. In particular, I need tecnical specs and information that the telephone companies are willing to release about the commercial availability of the service. Does anyone have any references, or know where I should look?? Thanks Paul ------------------------------ From: ima!johnl@bbncca Date: Mon Jan 7 22:26:00 1985 Subject: What about party lines? To: bbncca!telecom While idly reading my phone book the other day, I noted that it says that the rules for connecting equipment to party lines are different from those for private lines. Anybody know what they are? I know on two-party lines that it's usual to put a diode in series with the bell and to polarize the ring so that each party only hears the phone ring for his own calls. But the last I checked, there was no way except for the honor system to tell which party on a line is making a given toll call, either by having an operator cut in and ask for the calling number, or by having a "circle digit" that one dials after the "1" or "0" but before the desired number. So what happens when equal access, TouchStar, and all the magic of modern telephony comes to party line customers? I expect that there always will be party lines, because they're a lot cheaper than private lines. I wonder how many party lines there are in Boston and Cambridge? The phone book gives the monthly charges, so there is presumably a tarriff. John Levine, ima!johnl or Levine@YALE.ARPA ------------------------------ End of TELECOM Digest ******************************