============================================================================ THE SYNDICATE REPORT Special Information Transmittal No. 13 Released July 21, 1987 Featuring: Dan The Operator - Exposed as an Informant for Maxfield (brwy 6\24) Letter in Regards of FCC Taxing Datacommunicationists (cita 66\24) Northwestern Bell's CAROLINE (nwb.wk 6\25) Contel Merger (nwb.wk 6\26) Calling Cards Termed 'Discriminatory' (nwb.wk 7\1) Restrictions on Automatic Dialing Devices (mon.am 7\1) *Apprehended At Last: The Sensei of The Syndicate Report* by The Sensei ============================================================================ Exposition: Once again, TSReport now excepts outside sources. Anyone can write/provide information to the Syndicate Report. The Syndicate Report is also altering format. Rather than concentrating mainly on BELL orientated information, the Syndicate Report now has a more broad interest. Thus, TSR now handles all types of news gatherings. All articles have been presented by me unless shown at the end of the article as the information provider(s). ============================================================================ Author's Note: Welcome to another issue of The Syndicate Report. This is the 13th issue of The Report which makes it well over a year old. At this point, I would like to clear up some past happenings featured in TSR #12 about Phrack Inc. The article concerning Mr Pez having a Phrack Account on his board, or assembling a Phrack Team are only rumors and not true. Dated: 6/14/87 At first, I was almost forced to stop publishing the Syndicate Report due to legal problems. (All explained later) But I thought about the situation and I realized there was ways around the law. So continue to expect TSR. ============================================================================ DAN THE OPERATOR - EXPOSED AS AN INFOMANT FOR MAXFIELD: Dan the Operator AKA Noah, was recently discovered by Phrack Inc. and TeleComputists Newletter as an INFORMANT to John Maxfield (BoardScan). It appears that Knight Lightning discovered this while Dan the Operator was exchanging information with Maxfield on some of the people that showed up at SummerCon '87. Some of the People that were discussed: Tuc, Jester Sluggo, Phucked Agent 04, Videosmith, Chesire Catalyst, Mark Tabas, Karl Marx, The Safe Cracker, The Marauder, Genghis Khan, Doc Holiday, Kloey Detect, Violet Bouregard, and Disk Jockey. Dan the Operator Personal Info.: Real Name: Noah Wallach (Info. compliments of Freeworld ][ Users) Address: 5200 Myer Ct. Rockville, MD 20853 Here now is an exact printout of the message Dan the Operator sent to me on the Syndicate Newsline - 11:30 am, Monday July 6th '87. "This is BIG BAD Noah Wallach here, man. Like what's up? I see your trying to do a report on me, and I hate your fuckin' ass. I don't want you to say nothin' more on Havoc's Board, man. (Freeworld ][ Private) I'm gettin' a little pissed. I'm a little informat out ther spying on all of you. And I hate your god damn dick. Don't ever say anything more on Major Havoc's board, or I'll have to kick some anus. You little fucker for giving out my phone number and all that crap. You little fucker, you little fucker. See you later asshole." That was a complete type up of DA's msg to me via TSR Newsline. I heard he was a little on the homosexual side...but he sure likes to talk about my private parts. Right after I heard the message from Noah, I instantly called up Freeworld ][ Private to get a 'Previous Callers' log. This is was it had: 1174, Wasteland Warrior - Acc Lv: 6 1175, Clyde Ferndox - Acc Lv: 6 1176, The Spiker - Acc Lv: 7 1177, David Trader - Ac Lv: 6 (I suggested this one...name fits his style) 1178, Samson - Acc Lv: 5 1179, Mystical Kiler - Acc Lv: 5 1180, Keymaster - Acc Lv: 5 1181, Myself...etc. *You make the evaluation, and come a conclusion on Noah's new handle.* *UPDATE* This is a recent update on Noah Wallach: Dan the Operator sent me another message over TSR Newlines on July 14th at approximately 12:30 am. Read carefully, this could affect you... "This is big bad Noah Wallach again. I see you haven't quit reporting about me, man. I see you didn't take my warnings seriously. I also hear your in a little trouble with the Capital Interstate Cops...I hope they hang your fucking ass. If they don't I will. You may think you know me, but you don't at all. I know everything about everybody, and there's going to be a major sting operation. And it's going to be located by every phreak in the nation. Watch your back Phreak Sensei, you telephone line loser." I'm taking Dan's advise and am very weary about recent new boards etc... Keep your eyes and ears open people. Please make all reports to either TSR or Phrack Inc. This boy is out to get us. Thank you. Look for a short interview with Dan the Operator. ============================================================================ LETTER IN REGARDS OF FCC TAXING DATACOMMUNICATIONISTS: NOTE: This is only a suggested* letter to send to the FCC. Please do not send a verbatim copy of this letter, because it won't do much good if they see 2000 copies of the same letter simply sent by different people. If you can come up with your own reasoning and wording to protest the access charge, it would have a better impact. Chairman Dennis R. Patrick 1919 M Street Northwest Washington, DC 20554 Dear Mr. Patrick, I am writing in regard to the recent proposal to charge a $4.50 to $5.50 per hour access charge for computer users using data bases and computer information services. I feel that this proposed charge for value-added telecommunications services is unfair and overpriced, because the fees charged by most telecommunications services would rise steeply if this proposal became law. Usage of these services would drop dramatically if this proposal is passed. I can appreciate the reasoning that since people are using computer networks to make money, the local telephone companies deserve a share of this money. However, the major commercial data bases, such as Dow Jones, NewsNet, and Source Plus, charge $20 to $40 per hour. A $5.00 per hour charge would be rather substantial when added to this price. The situation gets worse when services used by computer hobbyists are considered. Computer services used by hobbyists, such as The Source, GEnie, and Delphi, charge only $5.00 to $15.00 per hour. When a $5.00 per hour access charge is added to that, the hourly cost would become prohibitive for subscribers. The hardest hit networks would be the services that are run by computer hobbyists for other computer hobbyists. The vast majority of these services charge no fee, and are run on personal computers with one incoming phone line. These services, popularly called Bulletin Board Services or BBS's, are used most often for technical discussions about various computer topics, discussions about musical instruments, or general social discussion and commentary. These hobbyist-run services are not providing value-added services, so it is not reasonable to charge an access charge if these services are not used to make money. If a $5.00 per hour access charge was applied to these bulletin board systems, hobbyists would quickly go broke or be forced to take down their systems. It should also be considered that it does not cost the telephone companies any more to switch a data call through the network than it does to switch a regular voice call through the network. If an access charge became law, the telephone companies would get an undeserved windfall from these services. This hardly seems fair to the average consumer. I urge you to reconsider the access charge. It should either be based on a percentage of the hourly fee charged by value-added services, with no access charge for systems that do not have an hourly charge, or dropped entirely. This would be fair for all computer users and telephone companies alike. ::::::::::::::::::::::Letter Provided by Central Aloy::::::::::::::::::::::: ============================================================================ NORTHWESTERN BELL'S CAROLINE: About a year ago, Caroline was restructed to be better postioned to capture residential marketing. A five-feature package billed at 10$ per month was trimmed to three basic features - call hold, call transfer and conference (three-way) calling -- and priced more affordably at 5$ monthly. CaroLine Features: * Call Hold - Besides putting a caller on hold, it can also be used to hang up a phone and use an extension in another room without losing the caller. * Call Transfer - Allows transfer of a call in progress to another line. * Conference Calling - Allows third party to be added to a a conversation. * Call Pick-Up - Allows a customer with two or more lines to answer from any phone. * Call waiting - Signals a second call and enables customer to put first caller on hold. * Call forwarding - Enables a customer to route incoming calls to another line. * Convenience dialing - Also known as speed calling, enables one and two-digit dialing. * Alternate Answer - Enables users to prearrange calls coming in on one line to automatically transfer to another ine after a specific number of rings, or when a busy signal is engaged. * Intra-Call - Enables customers to dail extensions. All of these CaroLine Features require only one peice of hardware... Your Standard Bell Telephone. ============================================================================ CONTEL MERGER: Contel Corp., with 2.3 million telephone customers in 30 states, announced this week it will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Communications Satellite Corp., under a stock swap merger agreement. The merger is expected to be complete next year. ============================================================================ CALLING CARDS TERMED 'DISCRIMINATORY': The Department of Justice (DOJ) notified the seven regional Bell operating companies (BOCs) July 5 that it is investigating that advertising and use of calling cards issued by their telephone company subsidiaries for interexchanging service. The department's concern is that BOCs may be in violation of the Modified Final Judgment because interexchange calls can be charged to their cards only if the calls are carried by AT&T. It said the same billing arrangements are not available to other competing carriers. The DOJ noted that this discrimination "appears to have been an unavoidable consequence of allowing AT&T and the Bocs to share a credit card data base" at the time of divesture and the BOCs are in the process of developing their own data bases. The DOJ has ordered that the BOCs immediately cease advertising and promotion of their calling cards for interexchange calling; notify calling card customers that the cards are intended only for interexchange calling; and also notify them that such calls are completed by AT&T even if the customer has presubscribed to another carrier. Bell has issued over 21 million calling cards in it's 7 Regional Bell Operating Companies. ============================================================================ RESTRICTIONS ON AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICES: Your chances of being awakened by a computerized sales call will be substantially reduced after August 1. A bill which places restrictions on telemarketers using prerecorded or synthesized voice messages makes such calls illegal before 9 am and after 9 pm. The bill also requires that such devices disconnect within 10 seconds after the phone is hung up and specifies that the message cannot be delivered unless information about the caller and the purpose of the call is first provided by a live operator. Bill H.F. 124 & S.F. 184 ::::::::::::::::::::Information Provided by Tom E. Hack::::::::::::::::::::: ============================================================================ *BUSTED AT LAST: THE SENSEI OF THE SYNDICATE REPORT:* "This may be the very last article I will write. A complete write up will also be released." Well, I finally got the axe from Bell. From all the years of loyal service I've given them, they were forced to finally take action. I won't say to much, I'm still bummed out from the visit from Capital Police. I'm typing this hours from the actual visit, since I don't think I'll be having my computer/modems etc., much longer. It all started on a Unix system in the 415. I don't know how they got to me all the way from Calif., but they did. I must have tripped an alarm, I'm guessing. Anyways, I'm giving this to a friend, and he'll probably leave it on Brewery or Freeworld ][ Private (301-668-7657). I don't want all my accounts deleted right away from any System Operator reading this...I may be pay for a call here and there to keep in touch. Mainly I'll keep it to a few select systems, until I find a new way of calling LD without worry of traces. My complete story I'd like to submit to Phrack Inc. To get in touch with me call my home line if you know it, or 612-829-8503 or 8504. Oh, they told me to get a new hobby, so I took up a new language. Have a good one, The Sensei / Syndicate Report ============================================================================ If there is any question to the information in this file, contact the author. Now can be found on the following systems: PG CF 612-645-7132 Osuny 914-725-4060, and Freeworld ][ 301-668-7657. Local Police Station. ============================================================================ This concludes this transmittal No. 13 provided by: The Sensei of The Syndicate Report Released July 21, 1987 ============================================================================