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Area Codes The need for new phone numbers has increased rapidly in the last few years because of mobile phones, faxes and computer lines. In many parts of the United States and Canada, the areas covered by a single code have had to be subdivided or reorganized and then assigned new codes in order to create enough new phone numbers. Here are some area code resources to help you find your way through this brave new telephonic world. (By the way, you might be wondering, is there a master plan? The answer is, yes, and it is maintained by NANPA, the North American Numbering Plan Administration.) Web:
Business and Toll-Free Directory Listings Looking for a particular business? If the company or organization you want has a telephone, they are probably in here somewhere. These Web sites allow you to search for the phone number of a business. Some of the sites are directories of toll-free numbers; the others help you find regular numbers. Web:
Cell Phone Ring Signals You're lost in a big city and everyone around you has a cell phone. Suddenly, one of the phones rings, and everyone jumps to see if it is theirs. But you know it's yours, because you have programmed your phone to play a super-cool song that makes your cell phone sound unique every time it rings. And where did you get the info you needed to program your phone? On the Net, of course. Web:
Cell-Relay Communications A "cell" refers to a small device that can be used for transporting and multiplexing information over a network. This discussion group is devoted to the technologies -- such as ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) -- that make use of cells as transport mechanisms within local, metropolitan and wide-area networks. Usenet:
Data Communications Servers On Usenet, you can find people who are ready, willing and able to discuss data communications 24 hours a day. This particular Usenet group is for discussion relating to selecting and operating data communications servers: special purpose computers that do the dirty work in moving information from one place to another (terminal servers, routers, hubs, and so on). Usenet:
Fax Technology There is more to fax machines than just using them to transmit the latest Dilbert comic strip to someone who is not lucky enough to have Net access. This Usenet group is for the discussion of faxes: standalone machines, computer adaptors and software, technical specifications, faxing on the Net, and so on. Usenet:
International Dialing Codes In order to place a telephone call to a foreign country, you need to know the country code. These resources can help you find the country codes you need, along with city codes and time zone information. Web:
Internet Telephone Systems With nothing more than your PC and an Internet connection, you can make all the telephone calls you want. Now, the fine print: (1) It may cost money, although less than regular long distance charges. (2) The quality may not be as good as a regular phone connection, although it should be adequate for non-business calls. (3) If you are using a slow Internet connection, the quality will suffer. (4) At the very least, you will need speakers and a microphone. However, you should really get yourself a special computer headset (with two plugs, one for output and one for input). Web:
Long Distance Rates The history of AT&T goes back to 1885, when it was incorporated to handle the long distance service for the American Bell Telephone Company. Throughout the twentieth century, AT&T and the Bell system formed a legally sanctioned, regulated monopoly that provided local and long distance telephone service to most of the United States. In 1974, the U.S. government started antitrust proceedings against the company, which were finally settled when, on January 1, 1984, the whole system was broken into seven regional local companies and a new AT&T long distance company. Related to the breakup, the government also opened the doors for other companies to compete against AT&T. Since then, many long distance companies have been formed, and rates have decreased significantly. The competition is fierce, and there are a staggering array of rates and terms that change often. These resources can help you find the most economical company based on the calls you make. Web:
National Telecommunications and Information Administration Whenever I want to know what the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is up to, I check out its official Web site. It uses the Web to make accessible its press releases, public notices and information on international telecommunications activities. When you just can't wait for the news to hit the streets, go straight to the source. Web: Networks Specific networking information can be hard to find. For example, what would you do, right now, if you needed some info on ATM, or ISDN, or SMNP, or NT Server? Would you know where to find the Web sites for important networking magazines and journals? Here is everything you need -- at least to get started -- all in one place, well-organized and comprehensive. If you have anything to do with any aspect of computer networks, these sites should be on your bookmark list. Web:
Phone Number Translator When I was a kid, the first part of every phone number (the prefix) was chosen so that it could be represented by a word. For example, my father's office number was 364-4421. On the phone, the numbers "36" correspond to "EM". Thus, I grew up knowing that my father's office number was Empire 4-4421, which made it a lot easier to remember. Similarly, our home number was Russell 7-4056. and, later (when we moved), Hudson 482-3241. Here's another one: Lucy and Ricky Ricardo's phone number was Murray Hill 5-9975. In the United States, the phone company (AT&T) phased out this system in the early 1960s. From then on, phone numbers would be all numeric, which allowed the phone company to use more prefixes. Not everyone was happy with the new system. The comedian Allen Sherman (1924-1973) even wrote a song called "The Let's All Call Up AT&T and Protest to the President March" (1963). Although it took more than 40 years, Sherman can now feel vindicated: you can use these resources to help you convert your numbers into words, the way they should be. Web:
Relay Service A relay service is a facility that lets a hearing- or speech-impaired person talk to another person over the telephone for free. The impaired person uses a keyboard and screen to communicate while the other person uses a regular telephone, and the conversation is relayed by a specially trained operator called a communications assistant (CA). Most deaf or speech-impaired people access relay services by using a TTY -- a small device with a keyboard and screen -- connected to a phone line. However, relay services are now available over the Internet. Just visit a relay service Web site and type in the number you want to call. You can then use your computer to carry out a "telephone" conversation with anyone you want. Web:
Short Messaging Service Short Messaging Service, or SMS, is a globally standardized system for sending short text messages between portable devices and telecommunication networks. SMS is designed to be fast, low bandwidth, efficient and cheap. SMS works in the background, which means that messages can be sent or received even if a voice or data call is in progress. The system was first introduced in 1991 (in Europe). Today, SMS is used with wireless phones and other devices to offer email, paging and voice mail services, information services (such as stock quotes and interactive banking), and limited Internet access. In addition to consumer services, SMS is also used with commercial field-service applications such as downloading SIM (subscriber identity module) cards, wireless POS (point of sale), meter reading and remote sensing. Web:
Telecom Discussions and Digest The Telecom Digest is an online digest posted regularly to Usenet. If you are interested in telecommunications, this is a source of information worth reading regularly. The telecom discussion groups are for all manner of telecommunications including -- but not limited to -- the telephone system. For more immediate gratification, check out the Web site. Web:
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Telecom Resources Telecommunications is changing our culture faster than any other type of technology. Moreover, telecommunications itself is changing so fast even professionals have a hard time keeping up. I have chosen these resources to help you find telecommunications information as you need it and to make it easy for you to check in every now and then to see what's new. Web:
Telemarketing Abuse Telemarketing refers to the soliciting of business or selling goods over the telephone. Once your name gets on a telemarketing list, you are going to get unwanted calls, but you can fight back. First, (in the U.S.) call your telephone company, and tell them to take your name out of the "street address" directory they sell to telemarketers. Second, check the telemarketing resources on the Net. The next time someone interrupts your dinner to ask if you want to invest in pomegranate futures, tell him you have to check with the Internet first, but if he would give you his personal home phone number, you would be glad to call him back later. Web:
Telephone Tech Talk and General Discussion Next to the Internet, the phone is one of the greatest inventions of humankind. Without the phone, you could never dial the pizza place and have them make you a steaming hot pizza with everything (except celery) and deliver it to your door. That's all most of us need to know about the phone, but if you are interested in more than that -- like learning what the guts of the telephone look like and how the wires connect, then join up with some telephone tech talk on Usenet. Usenet:
Wireless Technology News Wireless technology refers to electronic systems that enable communication over a distance without using wires. Before the 1980s, the main use for wireless communication were the dispatch systems used by taxi companies, police, and a number of private microwave data networks maintained by railway companies. In the last two decades, however, wireless technology has developed enormously, resulting in a great many new communication tools such as cell phones, WAP-enabled devices, pagers, wireless modems, wireless computer networks, remote sensing devices, and so on. Web:
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