Re: Just for discussion.

[ABLE1 <somewhere@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 7/21/2020 11:18 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
> On 7/20/2020 4:06 PM, ABLE1 wrote:
>> On 7/20/2020 12:12 PM, RTS wrote:
>>> On 7/20/2020 7:19 AM, ABLE1 wrote:
>>>> On 7/20/2020 12:51 AM, Jim Davis wrote:
>>>>> On Sunday, July 19, 2020 at 1:20:58 PM UTC-4, ABLE1 wrote:
>>>>>> Hello all, no matter how few!!  :-)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The other day I received a call from a customer that said that
>>>>>> morning a police officer showed up and asked if there was a problem.
>>>>>> The office manager said; "No, I just got here at the office 20
>>>>>> minutes
>>>>>> ago.  The officer said; "County Control received a call from a phone
>>>>>> number here with no one on the other end when answered."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Turns out the number that called 911 was their Fax number.  I was
>>>>>> called
>>>>>> to investigate what may have happened.  The Fax number is also
>>>>>> used for
>>>>>> the Line #2 to the Fire Panel.  The line used is a POTS line and
>>>>>> there
>>>>>> is an outside Demarc.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> After it was determined that it was the Fax the Office Manager turned
>>>>>> the machine off.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> When I arrived I checked the line and all was as it should be.  Only
>>>>>> two devices connected to the line, Fax and Fire Panel.  I tested
>>>>>> the line to my cell to verify the number.  I checked the Demarc and
>>>>>> all looked and worked as it should.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I connected my Butt Set at the Fax Machine and put on speaker.
>>>>>> Turned
>>>>>> it on and nothing.  Then sent a Fax to my office, Ok.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I called the County Control Center and talked to a Supervisor who
>>>>>> verified just one call at 7:51am.  He had their Tech Guy call me
>>>>>> later.  Basically we determined it to be an unsolved mystery.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Although I did express a theory that would fit the scenario.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ===============================================================
>>>>>> A teenage snot that just wanted to have fun took a old corded
>>>>>> phone and opened up the Demarc box and plugged into the first
>>>>>> port.  Dialed 911 and after the first ring hung up. Closed
>>>>>> the box and hid behind a bush snickering.
>>>>>> ==============================================================
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The Tech Guy liked that 'maybe' but then told me a true story about
>>>>>> a tomato.  Officer was dispatched a house with a active number that
>>>>>> called 911.  Approached and asked the lady of the house who was out
>>>>>> in her garden if everything was ok??  She said yes, why??
>>>>>> Officer explained and they went into the house to check the phone.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What was found was a tomato sitting on the window sill far to long,
>>>>>> had started to leak juice.  The juice trail went down the wall and
>>>>>> onto the phone sitting below.  Juice got into the phone and shorted
>>>>>> out the 9 & 1 on the DTMF pad and made the call.  WOW!!!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tomato and phone were placed in the trash bin.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ok, that is the start of the discussion.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Anyone care to contribute??
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Les
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> One question leading to one very remote possibility is:
>>>>> Does the CS telephone number have nines and or ones in it?
>>>>>
>>>>> Another question leading to another remote possibility is"
>>>>> I'm thinking that if it's a DTMF line that it probably also has
>>>>> rotary dial capability.
>>>>> Land lines are becoming more and more of a problem as the telcos
>>>>> ignore them and as they try to switch everyone to fiber or cellular.
>>>>>
>>>>> Maybe an intermittent connection (?) coincedently and ultimately
>>>>> dialed 911. Any crackling or static on the line?
>>>>>
>>>>> And ya know?  I've always had this bad feeling about tomatoes. Ya
>>>>> know?
>>>>> Just something about them -------
>>>>>
>>>>> But celery on the other hand -------
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hi Jim,
>>>> I did not hear any crackling or static on the line.
>>>> But, then again I am on the deaf side of things with high frequency
>>>> hearing loss.  However, it is something I should check with a
>>>> different ear sometime.
>>>>
>>>> I did ask the question about the back numbers to 911.  Was told that
>>>> there were at least 10 or so that would get there.  Was not told
>>>> what they were.  Either way with just a Fax and the Fire panel
>>>> connected to the line it does seem a bit odd for a 3 digit or a
>>>> 10 digit number to be dialed in some way to get through.
>>>> Tomato or no tomato.  ;-)
>>>>
>>>> Les
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> I'd blame the local telco,
>>> I had one here which cross connected over a hundred lines from 2
>>> different towns.
>>> Talk about old style party lines......
>>> It seemed that the 2 towns were serviced by the same telco switch
>>> house..
>>> An in-house cable upgrade was the cause,  they had cross connected the
>>> lines when changing out the old cable and the tech "forgot" to remove
>>> the old cable from the ckts..  (or so they said)    LOL
>>>
>>> RTS
>>
>> Yes, good point Rocky,
>> I have been in buildings that have had phone company punch down blocks
>> with Teclo lines there that were for another building.  The numbers were
>> totally unrelated to the in house business.  Telco just used it as a
>> splice block for the area.
>
> I've been in a lot of businesses like that.  Where the entire cable down
> an alley is brought into every building on that street.  Its annoying as
> hell, but it does allow for easier redistribution of resources as
> businesses change.  It also allows for savy people to eavesdrop on
> conversations and/or steal service with little effort.  I don't recall
> the details, but some couple decades ago there was a federal regulation
> change that phone companies had to make it easier for fed to execute
> wiretaps.  I don't recall all the details, but that was around the same
> time I stared seeing a lot of 50 and 100 pair cables looped into new
> buildings and new plant improvements projects.  I always thought the two
> were connected.  With the newer digital CO switches I always wondered
> why they just didn't have a data link into the COs.  Some rural
> exchanges still had mechanical switches at the time though.
>
>

Hi Bob,
Thanks for the extra Tidd Bits, I just knew you would contribute
some good stuff!!  It would seem that we ALL have seen the loop holes.
I had a day "waaaaay back" that I was out in the country and no
payphones around and I needed to make a phone call.  I was soooooo
tempted to pop open Demarc on the nearest house, hook up my Butt Set and
make the call.  BUT, I controlled myself!!!!  I am sure I wasn't the
first to have the thought.  I am sure it has happened..... somewhere!!

Les