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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 
 
