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THE WORLD OF TELECONFERENCING
BY
ERIK BLOODAXE
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BEING INVOLVED WITH A CONFERENCE IS ONE OF THE PHONE PHREAK'S PHUNNEST
ACTIVITIES.
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AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE WERE PHREAK CONFERENCES LONG BEFORE I WAS BORN,
AND THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE CONFERENCES LONG AFTER I LEAVE THE PHREAKING
WORLD. THEY ARE ONE OF THE BEST MEANS THAT I KNOW OF TO ACTUALLY HEAR AND
TALK TO YOUR PHELLOW PHREAKS. THIS IS BECAUSE YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
YOUR SCC COMING OVER TO THE RECEIVER'S HOUSE AND ASKING, "WHO IN THE PHUCK
CALLED YOU AT X:XX FROM X???" THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY BETTER THAN BULLETIN BOARDS.
THE EARLIEST CONFERENCE THAT I KNOW OF IS THE "2111" CONFERENCE.
AS RON ROSENBAUM PUT IT, "...THE LAST BIG CONFERENCE--THE HISTORIC '2111'
CONFERENCE--HAD BEEN ARRANGED THROUGH AN UNUSED TELEX TEST-BOARD TRUNK
SOMEWHERE IN THE INNARDS OF A 4A SWITCHING MACHINE IN VANCOUVER, CANADA. FOR
MONTHS, PHONE PHREAKS COULD M-F THEIR WAY INTO VANCOUVER, BEEP OUT 604 (THE
VANCOUVER AREA CODE) AND THEN BEEP OUT 2111 (THE INTERNAL PHONE-COMPANY CODE
FOR TELEX TESTING), AND FIND THEMSELVES, AT ANY TIME, DAY OR NIGHT, ON AN
OPEN WIRE TALKING WITH AN ARRAY OF PHONE PHREAKS FROM COAST TO COAST,
OPERATORS FROM BERMUDA, TOKYO, AND LONDON WHO ARE PHONE PHREAK SYMPATHIZERS,
AND MISCELLANEOUS GUESTS AND TECHNICAL EXPERTS. THE CONFERENCE WAS A MASSIVE
EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION. PHONE PHREAKS PICKED EACH OTHER'S BRAINS CLEAN,
THEN DEVELOPED NEW WAYS TO PICK THE PHONE COMPANY'S BRAINS CLEAN..."
THIS TYPE OF CONFERENCE WAS THE STANDARD OF ALL THE EARLY CONFERENCES,
SINCE BACK THEN THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS THE NOW FAMOUS "ALLIANCE
TELECONFERENCE LINES." IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE HOW THE PHREAKS MUST HAVE FELT
WHEN THE TRUNKS WERE CLOSED. THIS IS AGAIN ILLUSTRATED, "LAST APRIL 1,
HOWEVER, THE LONG VANCOUVER CONFERENCE WAS SHUT OFF. THE PHONE PHREAKS KNEW
IT WAS COMING. VANCOUVER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING TO A STEP-BY-STEP
FROM A 4A AND THE 2111 TELEX CIRCUIT WAS TO BE WIPED OUT IN THE PROCESS. THE
PHONE PHREAKS LEARNED THE ACTUAL DAY ON WHICH THE CONFERENCE WOULD BE ERASED
ABOUT A WEEK AHEAD OF TIME OVER THE PHONE COMPANY'S INTERNAL-NEWS AND
SHOP-TALK RECORDING.
FOR THE NEXT FRANTIC SEVEN DAYS EVERY PHONE PHREAK IN AMERICA WAS ON
AND OFF THE 2111 CONFERENCE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY. PHONE PHREAKS WHO WERE
JUST LEARNING THE GAME OR DIDN'T HAVE M-F CAPABILITY WERE BOOSTED UP TO THE
CONFERENCE BY MORE EXPERIENCED PHREAKS SO THEY COULD GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT
WAS LIKE BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED. TOP PHONE PHREAKS SEARCHED DISTANT AREA
CODES FOR NEW CONFERENCE POSSIBILITIES WITHOUT SUCCESS. FINALLY IN THE EARLY
MORNING OF APRIL 1,THE END CAME.
'I COULD FEEL IT COMING A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE MIDNIGHT,' RALPH
REMEMBERS. 'YOU COULD FEEL SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE LINES. SOME STATIC
BEGAN SHOWING UP, THEN SOME WHISTLING WHEEZING SOUND. THEN THERE WERE BREAKS.
SOME PEOPLE GOT CUT OFF AND CALLED RIGHT BACK IN , BUT AFTER A WHILE SOME
PEOPLE WERE FINDING THEY WERE CUT OFF AND COULDN'T GET BACK IN AT ALL. IT
WAS TERRIBLE. I LOST IT ABOUT 1 A.M., BUT MANAGED TO SLIP IN AGAIN AND STAY
ON UNTIL THE THING DIED . . . I THINK IT WAS ABOUT FOUR IN THE MORNING. THERE
WERE FOUR OF US STILL HANGING ON WHEN THE CONFERENCE DISAPPEARED INTO NOWHERE
FOR GOOD. WE ALL TRIED TO M-F UP TO IT AGAIN OF COURSE, BUT WE GOT SILENT
TERMINATION. THERE WAS NOTHING THERE.'"
ALMOST BRINGS TEARS TO YOUR EYES, DON'T IT? NOW A DAYS, CONFERENCES
ARE MAJORLY BUSINESS ORIENTED. THE MAJOR VENDOR, YOU MIGHT SAY, IS A THING
CALLED ALLIENCE TELECONFERENCING. THIS IS A OFFSPRING OF AMERICAN BELL,
WHICH IN TURN WAS BORN OF AT&T. IF YOU WANT TO CALL UP ALLIENCE, THEY HAVE
NUMBERS IN THE CITIES THEY HAVE CONFERENCE LINES IN:
213-481-2388 LISTED AS AMERICAN BELL TELECONFERENCING
312-938-0926 LISTED AS AT&T TELECONFERENCE
914-365-0123 LISTED AS TELECONFERENCE
713-655-2101 LISTED AS AMERICAN BELL TELECONFERENCING
*THESE NUMBERS ARE, OF COURSE, JUST TO THE BUSINESS OFFICE*
HOW TO SET UP A CONFERENCE:
THIS IS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, NOTHING NEW, SO THOSE OF YOU
WHO DO, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP OVER IT.
FIRST OF ALL YOU NEED TO FIND A NUMBER THROUGH WHICH YOU CAN BOX OUT
OF, IN OTHER WORDS A NUMBER THAT WILL ACCEPT 2600 AND RELEASE YOU ONTO AN
OPERATOR TRUNK. THESE ARE SOME OF THE ONES THAT I KNOW OF:
604-555-1212 B.C. DA
403-555-1212 ALBERTA DA
306-555-1212 SASKATCHEWAN DA
204-555-1212 MANITOBA DA
807-555-1212 ONTARIO DA
705-555-1212 ONTARIO DA
416-555-1212 DA
613-555-1212 DA
819-555-1212 QUEBEC DA
418-555-1212 " "
514-555-1212 " "
709-555-1212 NEW FOUNDLAND DA
506-555-1212 NEW BRUNSWICK DA
902-555-1212 NOVA SCOTIA DA
AS YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL, I HAVE JUST LISTED ALL OF THE DA#'S FOR CANADA AND
ITS SURROUNDING AREAS. *NOTE* NONE OF THE U.S. DA#'S WORK, BUT A PHEW 800'S
WORK FINE.
NOW YOU CALL UP ONE OF THE ABOVE NUMBERS. BEFORE THE TRUNK DROPS
(YOU WILL KNOW THIS BY THE SOUND OF A CACHUNK) THERE IS STATIC WHILE THE CALL
IS BEING PLACED, NOW IS THE TIME TO BLOW 2600. AFTER DOING SO, THE LINE WILL
GO SORT OF AN "EEEE-CACHUNK." ONCE HEARING THIS, YOU CALL UP THE CONFRENCE
LINE OF YOUR CHOICE:
213-080-1050 ALLIENCE L.A.
312-001-1050 ALLIENCE CHICAGO
914-042-1050 ALLIENCE STONY POINT ?
713-033-1050 ALLIENCE HOUSTON
THIS IS DONE BY HITTING KP THEN THE NUMBER OF THE CONFERENCE LINE THEN
ST. IF ALL GOES WELL YOU WILL HEAR A COUPLE OF CACHUNKS THEN M-F IN KP AND ANY
A/C+XXX-XXXX AS THE BILLING LINE. AFTER DOING THIS YOU WILL HEAR A COMPUTER
GENERATED WOMAN'S VOICE THAT SAYS, "WELCOME TO ALLIANCE TELECONFERENCING IN
'X' (X BEING THE CITY WHICH YOU CALLED TO). YOU MAY DIAL DURING ANNOUNCEMENTS
FOR FASTER SET UP. PLEASE ENTER THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO BE IN YOUR CONFERENCE.
DIAL NOW PLEASE." YOU DO THIS WITH YOUR REGULAR TOUCH-TONE FONE. NO MORE
BOXING IS INVOLVED. YOU CAN HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 59 PEOPLE ON YOUR
CONFERENCE, ALTHOUGH IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO SET IT UP FOR AROUND 25-30 PEOPLE
SO AS NOT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELF BY SETTING UP FOR 59 OR OTHER VAST
AMOUNTS.
THIS IS IF ALL HAS GONE WELL. SOMETIMES YOU GET A BUSY SIGNAL, MEANING
THAT ALL THE CONFERENCE LINES ARE BUSY, BUT SHOULD BE OPEN LATER, WHENEVER WHO
IS USING THEM HANGS UP. OTHER TIMES YOU MAY GET "WE'RE SORRY, BUT YOUR CALL
DID NOT GO THROUGH, WILL YOU TRY YOUR CALL AGAIN PLEASE." I HAVE GOTTEN THAT
RECORDING JUST TRYING TO M-F THROUGH 514(QUEBEC) SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEAL
IS IF YOU GET IT BEFORE YOU ENTER THE CONFERENCE TRUNK. WHEN YOU GET THE
'WE'RE SORRY' THING OFF OF THE CONFERENCE TRUNK, YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH SAY THAT
THAT CONFERENCE IS DOWN FOR THE WEEKEND OR FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT AS
ALLIANCE HAS BUSIED IT OUT.
ONCE YOU ARE ON THE CONFERENCE YOU CAN DIAL IN ANYONE YOU WISH
NORMALLY, IE: 1+A/C+NUMBER. ONCE YOU CONNECT YOU CAN EITHER LET THEM IN ON
THE CONFERENCE BY HITTING THE '#' OR HANG THEM UP BY HITTING '*'. (REMEMBER
POUND TO ADD, STAR TO CANCEL (HA!)) YOU CAN ALSO TRANSFER CONTROL TO SOMEONE
ON THE CONFERENCE BY DIALING '6' THEN 1+A/C+NUMBER.
THERE ARE SOME DANGERS THAT COME WITH THIS FUN, OF COURSE. ONE IS
THE FEDERAL LAWS THAT SETTING UP ONE LIKE THIS BREAKS. I AM NOT SURE WHICH
ONE(S) EXACTLY, I JUST KNOW THAT THEY EXIST. THEY ONLY COVER THE ORIGINATOR,
AND THE PERSON(S) HAVING CONTROL OVER THE CONFERENCE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO
WORRY THAT IF THE FBI BUSTS THE ORIGINATOR THAT YOU ARE NEXT IF YOU JUST
ANSWERED YOUR PHONE.
THERE IS ALSO THE FACT THAT YOU MAY BE PILING UP TROUBLE CARDS ON YOUR
LINE IF YOU WERE STUPID ENOUGH TO SET IT UP FROM YOUR HOUSE FONE. ONE WAY
AROUND THIS IS TO GO MOBILE WITH TAPES, OR TO SET IT UP THROUGH A CHEESE BOX,
OR THROUGH A PBX. ESPECIALLY STUPID, JUST FLAT OUT BLITHERING WOULD BE THE
PERSON WHO SET UP A CONFERENCE ON AN ESS EXCHANGE, CAUSE, AS FLASH HOSER,
THAT PHREAK FROM THE GREAT WHITE NORTH PUT IT, "ESS IS BAD NEWS!" YOU WILL
BE TRACED WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS FROM THE M-F TONES REGISTERING ON YER
TELCO COMP, SO DON'T THINK THEY MIGHT NOT NOTICE IT.
ALSO, NEVER GIVE OUT NUMBERS WHILE ON A CONFERENCE. IF YOU MUST GIVE
OUT A NUMBER, OR EVEN A FIRST NAME, FIRST HANG UP, THEN HAVE THE PERSON IN
CONTROL CALL YOU BACK, AND THEN GIVE HIM-HER THE INFO BEFORE THEY ADD YOU
BACK IN. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT THE CONFERENCE OPERATOR COULD VERY WELL
BE LISTENING IN. IF YOU EVER HAPPEN UPON THIS MENACE OF AN OPERATOR, BLOW
2600 TO HER OR SHE WILL KICK YOU OFF THE CONFERENCE LINE.
NEVER CALL FBI AGENTS! AND IF YOU MUST, NEVER DO IT THROUGH THE
CONFERENCE!! ONCE YOU ADD THEM THEY WILL STAY ON UNTIL IT DIES! LET SOMEONE
WITH 3-WAY LET THEM IN THROUGH A SCC OR SOMETHING. IF A FED DOES HAPPEN TO
GET ON YOUR LINE, THEY WILL TRY ALL THEY CAN TO GET ANYTHING! THEY ACCOMPLISH
THIS BY ONE OF THREE MEANS:
1)BEING QUIET WITH A RECORDER GOING, TO GET NUMBERS, NAMES, INFO
DISCLOSED, ETC.
2)A SECTOR TAP PLACED ON THE LINE, YOU WILL HEAR WEIRD BEEPS, BUZZES,
CLICKS EVERY NOW AND THEN. THEY SEEM TO THINK THAT THEY WILL GET SOMETHING
FROM THIS, BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW IT USED TO WORK, BUT NOW DOESN'T, AND BESIDES,
IT IS ILLEGAL FOR THEM TO USE ONE SO IT WOULDN'T HOLD UP IN A COURT ANYWAY.
3)THE THIRD WAY, AND MOST DEADLY, IS SOMETHING FOUND BY AND STILL
UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE RESEARCHER AND {}MOB RULES{}. IT CONSISTS OF KP
AND TWO OTHER M-F TONES PLAYED INTO THE CONFERENCE LINE. IT CAUSES A PHONE
NUMBER AND ST TO BE SPILLED BACK, IN OTHER WORDS YOU HEAR SOME ONE ON THE
CONFERENCE'S TELEPHONE NUMBER PLAYED BACK FOR YOU IN M-F TONES. IT IS NOT
YET KNOWN WHOSE NUMBER GETS SPILLED BACK, NOR I IT KNOWN FROM WHERE IT IS
SPILLED FROM, ALTHOUGH IT IS PROBABLY FROM ALLIANCE. ALL THAT IS KNOWN IS
THAT A NUMBER DOES GET SPILLED BACK, AND THAT IS ALL THAT THE FEDS NEED, JUST
ONE NUMBER. THE TONES THAT THE FEDS WILL SEND FORTH ARE "KP+ A COMBINATION
OF THE M-F TONES 4&6 AND 7&9" SO IT WOULD BE KP+46+79. EXPERIMENT, AS THIS
COULD REALLY HELP IN KNOWING WHAT THEY CAN DO TO US EXACTLY.
OPERATORS ARE PHUN PEOPLE TO GET ON CONFERENCES, AS THEY ARE SO
PHUCKING STUPID. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND LET THEM IN ON A CONFERENCE CAUSE THEY
CANNOT DO ANYTHING DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO THINK
THEY CAN. GET A BUNCH OF DA'S ON THE LINE AND LET THEM ASK EACH OTHER, "WHAT
CITY PLEASE." ANOTHER THING TO DO TO OPERATORS IS TO GET ONE ON THE LINE AND
MAKE HER THINK THAT YOU ARE ANOTHER OPERATOR, SAY SOMETHING LIKE "TSPS #125,
BOSTON," AND SEE WHAT THEY DO. YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO CALL UP WESTERN UNION,
SATELCO, OR LDS OPERATORS AND BUG THEM. OTHER PHUN THINGS TO GET ON THE
CONFERENCES ARE TELEX OFFICES, COMPUTER COMPANIES, STEVE WOZNIAC, WORLD-WIDE
RECORDINGS, MILITARY BASES, AND THE EVER POPULAR # OF MY OWN, THE WHITEHOUSE
SIGNAL!!
HERE ARE COMPANIES YOU MIGHT WANT TO CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
THEIR TELECONFERENCING AND PICTURE PHONE SERVICES:
AT&T 212-393-9800
COLORADO VIDEO 303-444-3972
DAROME CONNECTION 203-797-1300
DAROME INC. 815-943-5481
FTC SERVICES 212-699-9730
HOLIDAY INN HI-NET 901-362-4505
INFOLINK 312-291-2900
MISAR INDUSTRIES 714-540-2477
TELECONCEPTS 212-355-7113
VIDEO STAR CONNECTIONS 404-257-0121
THESE COMPANIES ARE VENDORS OF SERVICES OR PRODUCTS OR ARE SUPPLIERS OF
EQUIPMENT TO TELECONFERENCING SERVICES. IF SOME ARE NO LONGER IN OPERATION,
PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
LASTLY, I HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO BOXING THAT I SAW IN A MESSAGE POSTED
BY JOHN DOE. YOU CALL UP A TSPS AND SAY "THIS IS MR. X FROM X, AND I'D LIKE
TO SET UP A TELECONFERENCE. TELL HER THE BILLING LINE AND PARTY, WHICH WOULD
BE A FRIEND ON A LOOP WAITING FOR THE OPERATOR TO CALL UP AND ASK IF THIS WAS
KNOWN TO BE THE BILLING LINE, HE-SHE WILL ACCEPT GLADLY. THEN ONCE SHE PUTS
YOU UP TO THE CONFERENCE LINES, TELL HER TO GO AHEAD AND RELEASE THE LINE, AS
YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO FROM HERE ON. IT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT AS TO WHETHER IT WILL
WORK OR NOT, I AM NOT SURE.
I HOPE THAT THIS LITTLE (HA) TUTORIAL HAS BEEN OF SOME HELP AND HAS
PROVIDED YOU WITH SOME INFORMATION TO HELP FURTHER YOUR CAREERS AND THAT IT
WILL COME IN HANDY AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER.
------->ERIK BLOODAXE