TELECOM%usc-eclb@brl-bmd.UUCP (07/18/83)
TELECOM AM Digest Monday, 18 July 1983 Volume 3 : Issue 38
Today's Topics: Modem/Telephone Problems
212A, EAX, Self-Wiring
Dialing 1+
Central Office Names (CEdar, Etc.)
Cost Of Providing Service
NYC Area Code Split
NYC Prefixes
How Long In An Emergency?
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Date: 12 July 1983 01:10 EDT
From: Stephen C. Hill <STEVEH @ MIT-MC>
Subject: [teklabs!done: modem/telephone problems]
cc: teklabs!done @ UCB-VAX
I can't help this fella(teklabs!done at ucb-vax), but TELECOM
might. I don't own an Atari, but would still be interested to in the
answer.
-- Forwarded mail follows --
This might be more appropriate for net.micro.atari, but I thought it
is of general enough interest to put here.
I recently bought a modem for my Atari 800 computer made by Microbits
in Albany, Oregon. The modem is designed to be inserted into the loop
which connects the telephone base with the receiver (obviously, this
requires modular plugs on both ends of the coil cord, although
modifications are possible for non-modular phones). Unfortunately, I
discovered that GTE phones do not work with this modem (perhaps the
signals lines inside the coil cord are rearranged), and I couldn't get
a dial tone in voice mode.
Next I borrowed an old Bell rotary phone, and this worked like a
charm. But, when I shelled out the money for a new touchtone Bell
phone, the modem wouldn't work properly, even though it worked ok in
voice mode.
Finally, I made an exasperated call to Microbits, and they didn't have
the foggiest idea what could be wrong, either with the GTE phone or
the newer Bell phone. I am hoping that one of you phone gurus out in
netland will have a good idea of what the problem is here. It's very
discouraging when the folks who designed the modem don't even have a
minimal suggestion.
By the way, I have since gotten rid of both the modem and the new Bell
phone, and I am awaiting Atari's new direct-connect modem to be
available in August.
Don Ellis
Tektronix
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Date: 12 July 1983 02:20 EDT
From: Richard P. Wilkes <RICK @ MIT-MC>
Subject: 212A, EAX, self-wiring
cc: RICK @ MIT-MC
I have several questions:
1) Most people refer to 1200 (212A) modems as "1200 baud." However,
the modem itself, if I am not mistaken, transmits at 600 baud, using
PSK for two bits per baud; equivalent speed 1200 bps. Now, the RS-232
interface communicates with the modem at 1200 baud (1 bit per baud).
So, is the convention to use the modem signaling speed, in which case
most writers seem to be in error, or the interface speed?
2) What does EAX stand for? How does it differ from an ESS?
3) Is there a pamphlet (text) somewhere to which I can point people
who want to do their own wiring? I remember that there was a file
that could be FTPed, but can't remember on what host/dir. I would
appreciate any pointers to info that the average non-net happy
homeowner could request.
Thanks. -Rick at MC
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Date: Tue, 12 Jul 83 13:08:03 EDT
From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@brl-vld>
To: Ron Natalie <ron@brl-bmd>
Subject: Re: 1+ CRUFT
As I have written before, there are some places where 1+ is not
required on a direct-dial call (e.g., most NJ points, & also Long
Island and West- chester in NY, and in 408/415 areas in Calif.); this
also happens, although it's not posted, on 475 & 478 & 674 prefixes in
area 302 (Delaware). Watch out if you are in these areas, because a
direct-dialed call ANYWHERE in your area is made with only the 7-digit
local number! (At the other extreme: remember the note, very recently
in Telecom, about dialing from 516-239 to 212-327 requiring area code
212? The other way around, you have to dial 1-516-239-xxxx even
though it's just a 1-message- unit call; just calling 239-xxxx
attempts to make a multi-message-unit call to Manhattan.)
Date: Tue, 12 Jul 83 13:49:30 EDT
From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@brl-vld>
Subject: office names (CEdar, etc.)
Many letter prefixes used in NYC area were derived from the place
names they served. (E.g. FA7 in Far Rockaway, in NYC.)
I wonder if I have indeed found 3 exchange names CE 9 where CE stands
for "Cedar...". I know of 302-239 (CEdar 9) at Hockessin, Delaware.
Was 516-239 once Cedarhurst 9? And was 201-239 (I be- lieve it's
listed in V&H tape as Verona, NJ) once Cedar Grove 9 because it served
the Cedar Grove area near Verona?
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Date: 12 July 1983 21:04 EDT
From: Charles L. Jackson <CLJ @ MIT-MC>
Subject: switching costs
cc: CLJ @ MIT-MC
Does any have or know of a good reference to any information on the
costs of operating modern telco switches? In particular, how do the
costs of a call split between setup and holding eg 1 cent to set it up
and 0.01 cents per second of holding timne?
Answers directly to me and I'll summarize for the net.
Thanks
clj
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Date: 13 July 1983 1037-mst
From: Kevin B. Kenny <Kenny.OSNI @ SYSTEM-M.PHOENIX.HONEYWELL>
Subject: Re: NYC Area Code Split
As near as I can tell, the phrasing of the message hasn't changed
since it was put in place. The "now" is indeed in the message.
Incidentally, the 1+ cruft isn't needed to dial 212-327 from 516-239,
but the area code is. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me,
either.
/k**2
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Date: Thu, 14 Jul 83 8:48:47 EDT
From: Carl Moore (VLD/VMB) <cmoore@brl-vld>
cc: cmoore@brl-vld
Subject: NYC prefixes
It seems to me that:
The first NYC prefixes of the form N0X and N1X were those not in use
as area codes. (Of N0X & N1X in NYC, the first such prefix was 409.)
Otherwise, a call to, say, Alaska directory assistance at 907-555-1212
(a call now requiring 1+ at start) would suddenly become an attempt to
reach local number 907-5551.
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Date: 15 Jul 1983 01:21:46-PDT
From: Robert P Cunningham <cunningh@Nosc>
Reply-to: cunningh@Nosc
Subject: How long in an emergency?
Towards the end of a 1/2 day electrical blackout in my area, several
different exchanges seemingly just dropped out. Symptoms were: I'd
dial a number starting with XXX- and get nothing. No ring or busy
signal. About the same time, one of the few radio stations still on
the air requested that people not use their phones, in order to
conserve the phone company's battery power.
Since the electrical power grid came back up, I've been unable to
reach anyone at our local phone company (a GTE subsidiary) who admits
to knowing anything about this.
Does anyone on this list know exactly how operating companies provide
backup power for a local phone system, and how long they might figure
keeping a local phone system operating during a complete power
blackout of say, several days at least? Some years ago, during a
short tour of some phone company facilities, I saw what appeared to be
several very large banks of batteries. Is there some design/planning
criterion as to how long those would keep critical sections of a
citywide phone system in operation?
Bob Cunningham
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End of TELECOM Digest
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