[fa.telecom] TELECOM Digest V4 #110

telecom@ucbvax.ARPA (10/29/84)

From: Jon Solomon (the Moderator) <Telecom-Request@BBNCCA>


TELECOM Digest     Mon, 29 Oct 84 13:21:38 EST    Volume 4 : Issue 110

Today's Topics:
                            RJ41 and RJ45
               Multiple carriers FROM the UK to the US
                       MIT Communications Forum
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri 26 Oct 84 02:10:59-PDT
From: David Roode <ROODE@SRI-NIC.ARPA>
Subject: RJ41 and RJ45
To: Telecom@BBNCCA.ARPA
Location:  EJ286    Phone: (415) 859-2774

These two data-connect options differ.  One provides information
to the modem to let it adjust its performance to suit
the previously determined characteristics of the loop
to the central office.  The other is a combination of
a line with a guaranteed minimum signal level and a resistor
in circuit with the line to reduce the signal level to a guaranteed
maximum level.  

Does anyone know which of RJ41 and RJ45 fits which of these
two descriptions, and can anyone shed any additional light
or offer corrections?
-------

------------------------------

Date: 26-Oct-1984 1226
From: covert%castor.DEC@decwrl.ARPA  (John Covert)
To: telecom@bbncca.ARPA
Subject: Multiple carriers FROM the UK to the US

I just received the following from Jeremy Barker in the U.K.
 
 BT now has agreements with MCI International and GTE Sprint to operate 
 international service between the US and the UK.  This is all well and 
 good, now MCI and Sprint customers in the US will be able to make 
 cheaper calls to the UK than AT&T currently provides.
 
 There is however a VERY SERIOUS CATCH.  Calls from the UK to the US 
 will be RANDOMLY ROUTED by any one of the three carriers.  BT 
 customers will not be able to select which carrier is (or is not) to
 be used.  Knowing the kinds of problems with fade and noise on the
 current lines, and the poor (randomly cut, etc.) connections provided
 by MCI and the like in the US I forsee a substantially higher
 percentage of failed and inaudible calls.  (Even though BT goes to 
 great length to say that all that will change will an increase in the
 number of transatlantic circuits and that this will result in fewer
 failed calls due to network congestion). 
 
I should point out that Telex has been this way for years, since there
have "always" been multiple Telex carriers.  Telex traffic to the U.S.
can be routed either by translation of the first several digits of the
Telex number, or as is most commonly done, by weighting the random
selection algorithm to correspond to the same percentages as the
incoming traffic indicates.

------------------------------

Date:  Mon, 29 Oct 84 06:34 EST
From:  Kahin@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA
Subject:  MIT Communications Forum
To:  Telecom@USC-ECLC.ARPA, Human-Nets@RUTGERS.ARPA, 
     *bboard@MIT-MC.ARPA, Kahin@MIT-MULTICS.ARPA

MIT COMMUNICATIONS FORUM:  November 29, 1984 4-6 p.m.  Room 37-252

"As satellite communications becomes increasingly effective and
commonplace, the United States Information Agency has moved boldly to
use the technology in its public diplomacy program.  It has already
established its own private television network and has recently funded a
major feasibility study of direct satellite broadcasting for the Voice
of America.

"Although international shortwave radio broadcasting is an accepted
medium of public diplomacy, satellite broadcasting and television are as
controversial as they are powerful.  What are the long-range
opportunities for using satellites and television?  How will they affect
or be affected by international attitudes towards information and
communication?  What will be the effect on Intelsat and on the
allocation of the orbital arc?  How will it change the domestic presence
of the USIA, including the prohibition against domestic distribution of
Agency productions?

Dan Mica, Chairman, House Subcommittee on International Operations;
Michael Schneider, USIA; Hewson Ryan, Director, Murrow Center for Public
Diplomacy, The Fletcher School


------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest
******************************