telecom@ucbvax.ARPA (10/23/84)
From: Jon Solomon (the Moderator) <Telecom-Request@MIT-MC>
TELECOM Digest Tuesday, 23 Oct 1984 Volume 4 : Issue 106
Today's Topics:
Last miles
Hi Tech Answering machines
Mending the breakup
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Date: 22 Oct 1984 13:29-EDT
Sender: WTHOMPSON@BBNF.ARPA
Subject: Last miles
From: WTHOMPSON@BBNF.ARPA
While the discussions about 56K and 288K dial-up are invigorating,
some of us brutes are still struggling along at 1200 bps. Question:
I've had a couple of scalding experiences with signal loss in the
"last mile," between the CO and customer premise. The only remedy I
have found to date has been to install RJ45S jacks and get modems with
RJ45S plugs. This seems to cut down the level of noise that can
debilitate users.
Are there other remedies? I notice that modems like Hayes do not even
seem to bother with RJ45S -- does anyone have any experiences with
what happens when the data going gets tough?
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Date: 22 Oct 84 1041 PDT
From: Allan Miller <AAA@SU-AI.ARPA>
Subject: Hi Tech Answering machines
Here are some responses I got which did not also go to the list. I
also found out that the Radio Shack beeperless is an oddball. It
listens for sound, any sound as control input. It would run down a
menu and expect you to say something or punch any button to choose
that menu item. This is used for the security code input also.
Thanks to everyone who answered.
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I own (and use) a Code-A-Phone Model 2530 answering machine which I
purchased last February. It seems to almost meet your requirements.
I paid about $145 plus sales tax for it. I have seen it for sale for
as little as $140.
It has full-function remote control from standard touch-tone
telephones. It provides an (only) three digit user security code,
which is not user changeable.
The major disadvantage of the machine is the "fast-forward" feature --
it doesn't go to the next message. It simply "fast-forwards" while
you are holding down the button.
The quality is good. It is very small, using mini-cassette tapes.
There is no endless-loop for the outgoing message. It simply rewinds
the outgoing message cassette after each usage. This allows the
outgoing message to range from a few seconds to 1/2 hour. It does
have an "outgoing message only" mode.
With the reservations mentioned earlier (short, non-user changeable
security code and not very good fast-forward), I highly recommend it.
David G. Cantor
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I got an ITT machine about 3-4 years ago that had a settable
code that you can use get your messages without beeper. It was about
$320 (I think) but at that time was the only one on the market that
worked without a beeper. Basically you set some dip-switches on the
bottom of the machine to set the code, so it is easily changed.
Chris.
I have ITTs answering machine and it works without a remote
unit. You set up a code via dip switches under the machine and then
talk in the right sequence to activate. You can erase all the
messages you heard or keep them for playback later - your choice. It
is about 4 years old, so there is probably something even better out
now. Chris <Pace@USC-ECLC.ARPA>
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Just a short response re answering machines: I am very satisfied
with the one I have had for the last year + 1/2 or so. It is an IQ3000
made by Phone-Mate. The machine can be set up to play 2 differnet
messages at up to 4 different times a day; (first message cannot
exceed 30 s, second cannot exceed 30 min); There is a 3-digit security
code you can change at the machine- (the machine allows you to play
back, AND record new messsages remotely, under TT-dial control); It
can be set to answer after 2, 4 or 6 rings, or to an "AUTO" mode,
where if you DONT have a message, it will always answer after the 4th
ring, and if you DO, it will always answer after the 1st ring (good
way to save of LD$); It will respond to line polarity reversal, or
lack of line current in order to know when to hang up; there is always
VOX control of in coming messages, and a host of other minor features.
..... A good place to buy one cheap seems to be E33rd Typewriter and
Electronics (when they have them)... somewhere around $250 and worth
every penny
Steve Kleiser <SGK.TYM@OFFICE-2.ARPA>
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Date: Mon 22 Oct 84 14:21:57-MDT
From: William G. Martin <WMartin@SIMTEL20.ARPA>
Subject: Mending the breakup
Just out of curiosity: Suppose we made a national decision that the
AT&T breakup was a mistake (I think we've already come to a national
realization of that...). Suppose this becomes a campaign issue and
enough constituents are vocal enough about it that a majority of
congresscritters come to the conclusion that legislation to restore
the "telco monopoly" we all knew and loved/hated for so many years is
needed. Could it be done?
That is, we now have a bunch of independent companies floating around
out there in the marketplace. Is it constitutionally possible for
legislation to manipulate these companies into one big AT&T again?
(We've proven that the government can break Humpty Dumpty; can it put
him back together?)
Suppose we reach a national consensus on several points:
1) Long-Distance revenues SHOULD subsidize local phone rates.
2) Competition in LD services (cream-skimming) CAN be allowed in a
regulated marketplace -- AT&T would make less but still would make
enough. (See note below.)
3) A national telephone system CAN have a mixture of leased and
customer-owned hardware, with interface standards providing the
insurance that the network will work.
Could not such a re-joining, at the same time it gathers back the
BOC's, also gather in all these "independent" phone companies that
have provided such poor service for so many years, and meld them all
into an integrated whole? (No more Telecom complaints about General
Tel, for example!)
Would we not then have a "best of all possible worlds" situation, with
a single responsible national telephone entity, yet with an amount of
competition in telephone equipment sales and LD services, which will
give the lowest-cost residential phone service to the populace, and
also provide a single point-of-contact for maintenance and
installation, eliminating many of the problems the breakup has caused?
Can we do this without nationalizing the telephone companies? This
sounds good, but I'm afraid the only way it could be done is to change
a lot of laws which would pave the way for future government takeovers
of other fields. I wouldn't want to pay that cost; I'd rather put up
with the mess we've now created.
Note about AT&T income: AT&T and the BOC's (and maybe the independent
telcos, for all I know) have always impressed me as being incredible
money-wasters. In little things, like the failure of the cashiers at
the bill-paying windows to recycle the unused mailing envelopes [I pay
my bill in person at a Southwestern Bell Service Center], and in big
things, like political payoffs (there was some scandal about SW Bell a
few years back), inflated executive salaries and perks, excessive
numbers of employees, fancy offices and facilities, etc. My wife has
worked as a temporary for the local SW Bell offices, and seen stuff
about charitable contributions and fancily-printed stockholder
reports, etc., which have no business being paid for by telephone
customers. Such a restructuring as I mentioned above could also trim
out a lot of the waste and luxury that artificially inflates telephone
costs. (As a career gov't employee, I see no reason for executives to
make more than the standard white-collar GS schedule pay rates; you
can live on them -- if everyone in every business was paid at roughly
these rates, we'd all get along OK, and there'd be a lot less
pretentiousness and silly extravagances... I guess I'm sort of a
Puritan at heart...)
Anyway, as someone who has functioned all my working life with ugly
grey metal furniture and spartan surroundings, I have no sympathy for
those who contend that luxurious surroundings are in any way a
"necessity" to the sucessful operation of their business. (Before I
get a flood of "you ought to see MY skungy office" protests from
various AT&T/Bell Labs/etc. sites, let me emphasize that I realize
that the whole organization is not wallowing in luxury. Probably the
people who do the real work are in cramped cubicles and sitting on
broken chairs at the same institutional grey-metal desks as are in
this office. But there's enough wasted fanciness and featherbedding
which, if eliminated, would make up for an awful lot of reduced income
due to LD service competition and customer-owned equipment!)
Anyway, after all that, it boils down to: is it possible to fix this
mess if we made up our national consciousness to do so? I would think
we could. Where do we start?
Will Martin
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End of TELECOM Digest
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