telecom@ucbvax.ARPA (09/22/84)
From: Jon Solomon (the Moderator) <Telecom-Request@MIT-MC>
TELECOM Digest Saturday, 22 Sep 1984 Volume 4 : Issue 91
Today's Topics:
who is bugging you...
Re: who's bugging me...
Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #87 (re: 1+)
Re: AT&T long distance (TELECOM Digest V4 #90)
finding your own number in NJ
Re: (re: 1+)
Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #87 (re: 1+)
Re: long-distance pay phones in Japan
80 cents a packet?
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Date: Thu, 20-Sep-84 19:57:55 PDT
From: Lauren Weinstein <vortex!lauren@RAND-UNIX.ARPA>
Subject: who is bugging you...
I think it's EXTREMELY unlikely that the "one ring" calls that a
TELECOM user reported are "TPC searching for modems." First of all,
even if such scanning was going on, they wouldn't bother calling
several times a day! Maybe one call a year or something. But in any
case, an effective modem "searcher" most certainly wouldn't drop off
as soon as you answer, since most modems delay a couple of seconds
after answer (at least) before sending carrier.
Most likely you're just the target of some bored kids. Ignore the
problem as best you can and it will probably fade away...
--Lauren--
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Date: Thu, 20 Sep 84 23:51:56 edt
From: chris.maio@columbia
Subject: Re: who's bugging me...
I don't remember where I heard this from, but I've always been under
the impression that those annoying single rings are the result of the
phone company "polling" the line to determine how many phones you are
using. The idea (please correct me if I'm wrong) is that each ringer
on a standard phone draws about an amp, so if your line draws 5 amps,
you've got 5 phones plugged in. If you've only told the phone company
that you have two phones, you get a call from them asking you to pay
the extra rental charges. This happened once to someone I know, but
fortunately, the phone company only "found" one of the two extra
phones.
The phone company also (used to?) sweep the lines with a 600-volt
signal periodically, which I'd heard was an attempt to destroy
components in home-brew equipment.
- Chris
P.S. In New York City, you can dial 958 to get the number you're
calling from.
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Date: Fri, 21 Sep 84 9:26:50 EDT
From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@Brl-Vld.ARPA>
Subject: Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #87 (re: 1+)
I have had 1+ in Delaware (NPA 302) for as long as I can remember, but
not requiring the 1+ sometimes raises interesting points as to what
exchanges are or aren't in use. I know of a few instances in other
areas THERE where 1+ hasn't been required (475, 478, 674--at least the
pay phones in those exchanges). 475 & 478 are both local to some
215-area points, so that makes all of Delaware AND those 215-area
points reachable by dialing only 7 digits! From 475, you're local to
874 and 876 (Chester, Pa.), but 875 is Laurel, about 90 miles
downstate. I said very recently in this digest that when 1+ is in
use, you can't make a toll call by dialing only 7 digits.
It confused me initially when I found out that you can make toll calls
within some areas by dialing only 7 digits; you have to pay attention
to your local calling area, and a slip of the dial might send you far
away from your destination within local area and/or area code. Lack
of 1+ is understandable in NYC and Washington DC (although NYC now
requires 1+ for calls to other areas), because of local & message-unit
calling areas covering those entire area codes.
Wasn't 1+number used for any toll call within Cincinnati Bell area at
one time? (That area covers 513 and also part of 606.) In other
words, if you were in 513, could you omit the area code on some toll
calls to northern Kentucky? (Cincinnati exchanges are local to some
northern Kentucky points.)
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 21 Sep 84 09:41:41 edt
From: "John Levine, P.O.Box 349, Cambridge MA 02238-0349
From: (617-494-1400)" <ima!johnl@cca-unix>
Subject: Re: AT&T long distance (TELECOM Digest V4 #90)
If you read more carefully, you'll find that what AT&T is doing is far
more sleazy than just switching to ENFIA B. They want ENFIA B for
terminating trunks only, retaining their current ENFIA C (unequal
access) for their outgoing trunks. This means that they'd still have
the current premium 1+ service for people who originate calls, but
have cheaper ENFIA B trunks for calls coming in. Since ENFIA B and C
are supposed to be electrically similar, the net is that there'd be no
change in service, just a big saving for Ma. Evidently whoever wrote
the tariffs neglected to say that incoming and outgoing trunks had to
match. Pfui.
John Levine, ima!johnl or Levine@YALE.ARPA
------------------------------
Date: 21 Sep 84 11:36 EDT (Fri)
From: _Bob <Carter@RUTGERS.ARPA>
Subject: finding your own number in NJ
As far as I know NJ [201] has never had any ''funny'' ANI numbers.
The best way is to dial 0 and say ''This is an installer, what
line am I on?'' -- works every time, even at odd hours of the
night. NJ TSPS ops are trained to give out the number when they
hear the magic words ''installer'' or ''repairman'', no questions
asked. This will probably work everywhere else, too.
Er, are there still installers? No mind. Just asking her "what
number am I calling from?" has always worked for me.
_B
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Date: 21 Sep 84 10:15:12 PDT (Friday)
From: Lynn.es@XEROX.ARPA
Subject: Re: (re: 1+)
It would appear that Kent's message was in reply to my last Telecom
message. If so, he missed the point. It is not that 714 area code
added 1+ for toll calls, but that they got rid of it! (and also added
1+ dialing for out-of-area-code calls, but that is a different use of
1+, and irrelevant to this). My complaint was that the system's
reaction to dialing the now unneeded 1+ shouldn't be a recording, not
the opposite case of failing to dial a necessary 1+. /Don Lynn
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From: Christopher A Kent <cak@Purdue.ARPA>
Date: 21 Sep 1984 1223-EST (Friday)
Subject: Re: TELECOM Digest V4 #87 (re: 1+)
Yes, I was also confused the first time I came to Palo Alto and
discovered that I didn't have to dial 1+, for any calls! I still dial
1+ out of habit.
Yes, in the Cincinnati Bell area, you can dial certain toll calls into
606 (northern Kentucky) withouth 1+. But calls to Dayton, which is
also in 513, require 1+.
chris
------------------------------
Date: 21 Sep 84 12:01:00 PDT (Friday)
From: Halbert.PA@XEROX.ARPA
Subject: Re: long-distance pay phones in Japan
Few people used to have private phones in Japan, and so pay phones
were (and still are) quite common. In fact, the rates for calls from
home phones are the same as those from pay phones.
--Dan
------------------------------
Date: 21-Sep-84 12:43:38-PDT
From: jbn@FORD-WDL1.ARPA
Subject: 80 cents a packet?
That can't be right. At 56KB, costs would be several thousand
dollars an hour. Please correct the note on AT&T's packet service.
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End of TELECOM Digest
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