Telecom-Request%usc-eclc@brl-bmd.UUCP (Telecom-Request@usc-eclc) (09/20/83)
TELECOM Digest Tuesday, 20 Sep 1983 Volume 3 : Issue 59
Today's Topics:
Telecom Archives
Telecom Digest 57
Mobile Phones
Billed Number Screening
Telstar*
Long-Distance Carriers
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Date: 18 Sep 1983 1542-PDT
From: Jon Solomon <JSol@USC-ECLC>
Subject: Archives
The archives are now on SRI-CSL, in <TELECOM>. They are named the same
as they were on BUG:<JSOL.TELECOM> on ECLB. If you need any help with
the archives, please let me know at TELECOM-REQUEST@USC-ECLC.
--Jon
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Date: Mon, 19 Sep 83 13:15:45 EDT
From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@brl-vld>
Subject: telecom digest 57
I have received telecom digests 56 and 58 in the past week, but no 57.
Is the numbering system messed up?
[Yes, due to a mistake I made, Issue 57 is nonexistant. Sorry. --JSol]
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From: ulysses!smb@Berkeley (Steven M. Bellovin)
Date: 15 Sep 83 08:05:01 EDT (Thu)
Subject: mobile phones
GM has announced that cellular mobile phones will be an option on
some Buicks next year. Initially, they will be available only in
the Chicago area, though they expect to go national within two years.
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Date: Sun, 18 Sep 83 10:30 EDT
From: Dennis Rockwell <drockwel@BBN-VAX>
Subject: Re: Billed number screening
Interesting! When I moved to the Boston area (January of this year),
I was advised to get a calling card (at no extra cost) because they
were about to stop third number billing altogether. This was the same
phone company, but a different business office (but Lexington and
Acton aren't *that* far apart).
Of course, this is the same business office that sent out an installer
after I had told them that the wiring was already in place, and that I
had my own phone.
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From: genrad!rob%decvax@BRL-BMD.ARPA
Date: 16 Sep 83 08:29:58 EDT (Fri)
From: decvax!genrad!rob@BRL-BMD.ARPA
Subject: Telstar*
While walking by a phone center store last night I saw a telstar. I
asked about it and the service person didn't know how it worked. She
said I could purchase one and return it in 30 days for full
"no-questions-asked" refund. So I took her up on the offer. This
AT&T unit, (labeled American Bell), is a voice synthesis dialer, call
storer, call screener, and call forward announcer. It sells for
$299.95 and has a 10% discount right now.
I played with it for 1 hour last night and discovered the following:
- It records the number a person touches in with the time he called.
- It picks up all calls after a specified number of rings from 1 - 15.
- If you set it for 1 ring and the caller touches in a number that you
have stored in your directory, your phone will ring to signal
that a call has passed the screen.
- Likewise if you have the call forwarding announcement it tells the
caller what number to call to get you.
(I think it should have the option to tell everyone.)
- You can call home and check the time. (Big Deal.)
- You can call home and get someones telephone number from the
directory.
- You can call home and pick up your calls. (Callers can't leave
msgs.)
- It has a security code to prevent someone else from taking your
calls.
- It can hold 50 numbers and store 30 calls.
- It has button emergency dialing. (I accidentally called police.)
- Directory is stored by "names" like the "Demon-Dialer".
- You do your dialing from the phones key-pad.
- You can put all of your phones in the house in series to access it.
And finally - It does not work in 617-263 for outgoing calls. It
seems to send out the tones too fast for the central office. Every
call I dial gets intercepted and redialed from the telstar. Thus I
get a recording saying that my call can not be completed as dialed,
please try again. I'd be happy to answer any specific questions I
get. I will call the repair number to see if the outgoing "dialing"
can be fixed. I will not keep it beyond 30 days.
Rob Wood (decvax!genrad!rob)
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Date: Mon, 19 Sep 83 14:45:03 EDT
From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@brl-vld>
Subject: long-distance carriers
My office is out of range of MCI & Sprint service because it is too
far out from major metro areas. What bulk service would be available
to me if I have to do much personal business long-distance from there?
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End of TELECOM Digest
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