Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.telcom From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: telcom Fri, Apr 3 1992 Date: Fri, 3 Apr 92 05:43:48 EST Message-ID: 04-03 0000 DECISIONLINE: Telecommunications USA TODAY Update April 3-5, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network AT&T UNVEILS NEW CHIP: AT&T unveiled a computer chip Thursday that it says will let people in different cities simultaneously see and talk with each other through personal computers. AT&T will sell the AVP-100 chip in its own products and to other manufacturers. Production of the chip starts next year. 800 ADMINISTER SOUGHT: The nation's seven regional telecommunications companies are seeking an independent contractor to administer a major data base access service. The new 800 service - to be implemented nationwide in March 1993 - will allow 800 service customers to select or change their 800 service carrier without changing their existing 800 telephone number. QUALIFICATIONS LISTED IN AD: A 1991 Federal Communications Commission mandate requires that the regional Bell companies transfer administration of the 800 numbers from Bellcore, their jointly held research corporation, to an independent third party. An ad in this Friday's Wall Street Journal spells out the qualifications and includes detailed information about the selection process of the third party. N.J. BELL ASKS FOR RATE CAP: New Jersey Bell has asked the state Board of Regulatory Commissioners to cap the telephone rate through 1995 and hold increases to the inflation rate through 1999. If the measure is approved, New Jersey Bell says it will spend $1 billion to rewire the state with fiber optic cable. That would clear the way for video phones and high-definition TV. GTE TESTING FIBER OPTIC SYSTEM: GTE Telephone Operations says it has begun testing a system that uses fiber optics to provide both telephone and video services. The test will involve a fiber loop access system provided by BroadBand Technologies Inc. The test will be conducted at GTE's advanced technological test bed in Cerritos, Calif. The full system is scheduled to be operational in June. FREE CALLS OFFERED: Sprint will offer free long-distance calls at Stanford (Calif.) Stadium during the USA vs. People's Republic of China soccer game Saturday. There is a 5-minute limit per call. Sprint is an official sponsor of U.S. Soccer and is planning sponsorship of the World Cup competition in 1994. RADIATION GAINS CONTRACTS: Radiation Systems Inc. said Thursday it has been awarded contracts with a value of more than $6 million. The contracts are for products that serve the radar:air traffic control and the troposcatter communications markets. The customers include Raytheon Company, Siemens Plessey Radar, the Federal Aviation Administration and the General Electric Company. ELECTRONIC HEALTH REPORTS NEAR: Joseph T. Brophy of The Travelers, an insurance firm, says a system for the electronic transfer of medical information could be a reality in the near future, but notes it is important that there is a nationwide standard. He envisions a system similar to an automatic teller card. It could give medical background, eliminate insurance forms and be used to fill and write prescriptions. OCS BUYS SYNTAX: OCS Technologies Corp. says it has signed a letter of intent to acquire SYNTAX Systems Inc. of Auburn, Wash. SYNTAX products are targeted at the criminal justice markets and include computer aided dispatching for emergency services and network software products used to interface state, county and national criminal information centers. TELEBIT REDUCES MODEM PRICES: Telebit Corp. has introduced a new promotion which offers existing Telebit modem customers the opportunity to purchase any of the Telebit family of modems or ModemMizer, an asynchronous communication server product, at reduced prices. The saving are up to 53% off the list price. AMNESTY PROGRAM LAUNCHED: In Maryland, a six-week amnesty program was launched for an estimated 57,000 Baltimore County residents obtaining cable illegally, Comcast Cablevision officials said Thursday. After May 15, violators could get up to six months in jail and a $500 fine. The firm says it lost about $10 million to cable thieves in 1991. ANDERSEN BUYS LOTUS NOTES: Lotus Development Corp. says Andersen Consulting and Arthur Andersen have jointly purchased 20,000 copies of Lotus Notes with the option to buy 40,000 more. This is the largest single purchase of Notes since Lotus first began selling it in 1989, the firm says. Notes will enable personnel to share information electronically, ranging from electronic mail to complex data base applications. Telecommunications Editor: Ed Kelleher. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM