TELECOM%usc-eclb@brl-bmd.UUCP (07/20/83)
TELECOM AM Digest Wednesday, 20 July 1983 Volume 3 : Issue 41
Today's Topics: Bits And Bauds
Vermont Fighting Interstate Toll-Call Rates
Office Names (CEdar, Etc)
Handset Connected Modems
New England Telephone - Test Lines Now Available For Use
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Date: 19 Jul 1983 0833-EDT
From: John R. Covert <RSX-DEV at DEC-MARLBORO>
Subject: Bits and bauds
A baud is the number of channel symbols per second.
212A modems are DPSK, two bits per channel symbol.
They are 1200bps modems, not 1200 baud. But "baud" is like "Scotch" tape.
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Date: 19 Jul 1983 0837-EDT
From: John R. Covert <RSX-DEV at DEC-MARLBORO>
Subject: Vermont fighting interstate toll-call rates
Vermont fighting interstate toll-call rates
By Dan Gillmor
Special to the Globe
MONTPELIER -- The state of Vermont has asked the Federal
Communications Commission to order a nationwide reduction in
interstate toll-call rates next year when new charges are imposed on
telephone users.
Public Service Commissioner Richard Saudek and Public Service Board
Chairman V. Louise McCarren, in papers filed yesterday in Washington,
wrote that American Telephone & Telegraph Inc., by far the nation's
largest provider of interstate telephone service, will collect an
"unjustified windfall" if the FCC does not act.
In Vermont, the Public Service Board is the quasi-judicial state
agency that decides utility rate cases. The Public Service Department
collects data on energy use and represents the public in rate hearings
before the Board. The FCC has jurisdiction over all interstate
telephone service.
The Vermont petition represents the state's effort to mitigate what
many observers fear will be far higher local costs for rural telephone
users without commensurately lower interstate toll costs.
It was the FCC that imposed the new charges, over and above local and
toll charges, called "Access Charges." Beginning next Jan. 1, the day
AT&T will spin off its regional telephone companies as part of an
anti-trust settlement, telephone users must pay to their local
telephone companies a monthly per-line charge of $4 in order to have
access to the interstate system, whether they ever make a long
distance call [or not].
Currently the money is paid to the local companies by AT&T and a
number of smaller long-distance companies. The cash for those charges
is collected in long-distance toll bills on a per-minute basis.
Local companies will collect roughly $4.3 billion from their customers
next year in flat (access) charges, and the long distance companies,
primarily AT&T, will have lower costs in the same amount.
AT&T has indicated it would lower some interstate rates, probably
those in markets where there is competition, primarily urban-to-urban
toll "highways," but company officials have flatly refused to say
there would be lower interstate rates in markets lacking competition.
Rural areas are a prime example of the latter kinds of markets.
In their petition, McCarren and Saudek wrote, "As the FCC stated (in
its Access Charge order): 'Implementation of access charges is not a
rate increase, it is a rate restructure. Increases in access rates
will be matched dollar for dollar by reductions in per message
interstate charges.'"
Thus, the Vermont action is an attempt to force the FCC to follow
through on that statement.
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Date: Tue, 19 Jul 83 09:49 PDT
From: Swenson.PA@PARC-MAXC.ARPA
Subject: Re: Office names (CEdar, etc)
cc: Swenson.PA@PARC-MAXC.ARPA
When I was growing up in Berkekey, Calif, Berkeley was manual.
Berkeley was served by BErkeley, THornwall & AShbury. Our house was
BErkeley 1199W, across the street was BErkeley 1199J, and our frends
in Albany, just north of Berkeley had BErkeley 1199. The Albany phone
was converted to dial, and their exchange changed to LAndscape 5-1199.
The -5 was used to avoid confusion with LAkehurst, in Oakland. This
was the first time I encountered numeric exchange sufixes. During WWII
the number of phones grew so that AShbury had some 5 digit numbers.
When the Berkekey area was converted to dial, the BErkeley 7 (3d digit
had by now arrived) exchange was converted to LAndscape 6 & Landscape
7. The coin phones which had been on BErkeley 7 were converted to
CEdar 7-same pulse string. I remember this because we lived on the
corner of Cedar & Holly in Berkeley.
During most of this time CHina in San Francisco, which was manual,
would find local residents by name. A phone number was not necessary
unless you dialed in.
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Date: 19 Jul 1983 1105-PDT
Subject: Re: TELECOM Digest V3 #40
From: Ian H. Merritt <MERRITT@USC-ISIB>
Re: Handset connected modems:
Trimline style telephones, containing the dialing in the handset also
have the rest of the telephone in your hand. The base is quite
literally just a switchhook and a bell. Don't attempt to connect a
handset modem to the trimline handset interface; it has the line on
it. Alternatively, you might probe around the handset wiring if it
isn't a trimline and compare those which have worked with those which
haven't. The voltage levels are pretty standard within handset
wiring; but the placement may not be.
<>IHM<>
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Date: 19 Jul 1983 1701-EDT
From: John R. Covert <RSX-DEV at DEC-MARLBORO>
Subject: Test Lines now available for use
The following document reached me today:
TEST LINE ACCESS CAPABILITIES WITHIN NEW ENGLAND TELEPHONE COMPANY
A. Effective 1 April 1983 the Bell Operating Companies made available
to customers, vendors, and equipment suppliers, the use of certain
Test Line Access capabilities. This effort is intended to be utilized
for the testing of Bell Operating Company Public Switched Network
Services emanating from central office exchanges and terminating in
PBX, key, ACD or multifunction systems. Test Line Access capabilities
will be extended into nine different categories. Each of the nine
categories will be subject to what is currently operationally
available within each Bell Operating Company exchange.
B. Test Lines authorized at this time for access by the
telecommunications industry.
1. 100-Type (Balance/Quiet)
2. 102-Type (Milliwatt)
3. Synchronous
4. Nonsynchronous
5. 105-Type (Automatic Transmission Measuring)
6. 107-Type (Data Transmission) Note: there are none in N.E.T.
7. Short Circuit
8. Open Circuit
9. Loop Around
As previously noted, the availability of the above Test Lines will be
subject to those operationally available within the existing telephone
company central office exchanges. No plans are contemplated to make
all of the above Test Lines available from each exchange where they
are not presently in effect.
The Station Ringer/Touch Tone (Ring Back) Test Line is not included at
this time as it is currently involved in an FCC Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (FCC Docket No. 81-216)
[I called the FCC to find out what the status is; all I could find out
is that this is one of about 50 issues involved with customer testing
of customer provided premises wiring which will be resolved by the end
of the year.]
C. Elaboration of the above Test Lines (abridged)
1. 100 type Test Line (Balance/Quiet) -- There are two
versions. The older can be used for balance and noise
testing. The newer provides, in addition, a 1kHz or 1004Hz
tone for one way loss measurements
2. 102-Type Test Line - Milliwatt - 1kHz or 1004 Hz for one-way
loss measurements.
3. Synchronous Test Line - for testing supervisory and tripping
functions.
4. Nonsynchronous - operational test, not as complete but more
rapid than the synchronous test.
5. 105-Type ATMS - far-end access to responder for two-way
transmission measurements.
6. 107-Type (Data Transmission) Test line -- provides a
programmed sequence of test signals for one-way testing of
parameters that affect voice and voiceband data transmission.
(The only one I know of on the network is 516 423-9978.)
7&8. Short Circuit and Open Circuit Test lines -- provide a
short or open circuit, respectively, to an incoming line or
trunk.
9. Loop around Test Line -- provides for the interconnection
of two lines or trunks to facilitate two-way loss measurements
from the distant end.
D. Bell System Technical Reference (abridged)
The above are further elaborated within the Bell System's Technical
Reference PUB 60101, published in December, 1982. A select code
of 326-163 has been assigned to this. For urgent requests or
questions, contact Mrs. Harriet Dumaf, Publisher's Data Center, Inc.
212 834-0170. Mrs. Dumaf will honor requests for (price lists) PUB
40000 or 40000A. She will also provide a price quote over the phone.
However, no shipment of pubs other than the price lists will be made
before payment has been received.
E. Tariff Charges
Initially, access to the Test Lines will be charged at the rate
(message unit, etc.) for the call where such charges are applicable.
F. Point of Contact (Test Line Coordinator) within each Bell Operating
Company.
A centralized point of contact has been established within each BOC to
provide telephone numbers that are associated with each BOC exchange.
The BOC point-of-contact within your area [here] is:
Ms. Muriel McGinn
Assistant Staff Manager
New England Telephone Company
101 Huntington Ave., Suite 1965
Boston, MA 02199
617-743-7937
G. Procurement of Test Line Numbers
Enclosed in this section is a directory of Test Line Numbers by
individual states served by New England Telephone. [It's too long to
type -- 48 pages.]
H. Test Line Trouble Reporting Procedures
Trouble conditions noted with the Test Line Numbers may be reported to
the normal trouble reporting number: 1-555-1515.
I. Possible Misuse and/or Abuses of Test Lines
The Test Lines being made available are to be mutually used by all
parties (Telephone Company personnel, customers, vendors and equipment
suppliers, et al). Any misuse and/or abuses (such as attempting to
utilize the Test Lines for purposes other than those specified within
Technical Reference 60101 or extended use for a long duration) may
deprive others from ready access and use of the available Test Lines.
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End of TELECOM Digest
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