uk.telecom FAQ

It's the uk's own little newsgroup to discuss all sorts of topics related to telecommunications in Britain, including (but not limited to) technical matters, pricing, STD codes, equipment, BT vs Mercury, Network Services (nee Star Services), ISDN services, modems, etc. You get the idea..

It was born in August 1991 to cater for the large amount of telecoms related traffic in uk.misc, as UK specific enquiries in the InterNet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom tended to be swamped by the vast number of other articles.

Question 02:

Okay, so tell me this. How do phones work ?

Answer:

From: ccs@aber.ac.uk (Christopher Samuel)

A very good question, that one, and for the moment the only answer I can direct you to is the file how.phones.work in the comp.dcom.telecom archives at lcs.mit.edu [18.26.0.36]. It is US orientated, but some of the general principles remain the same.

[A UK version of this file would be gratefully received]

Question 03:

Why do we need another digit in the phone numbers ?

Answer:

From: mandarin@cix.compulink.co.uk (Richard Cox)

The existing numbering scheme is mixed 8, 9, and 10 digits (in all cases including the initial "0" - which isn't really part of the number. Theoretically, the maximum number of numbers is 900 million, excluding 00XX codes because by CCITT convention you can't have the same digit as the first digit of the NDC (National Destination Code, that's the STD code without the "0") as you have as national trunk prefix. 01XX has been cleared (solely to make the code change possible) and this reduces the total number of possible numbers to 800 million. Where the numbers are used for geographic areas, and users are offered the option to dial those numbers without a trunk code, then 201,000 numbers in each group of 1,000,000 become unusable. But other number ranges, such as cellnet, freefone, paging services and premium rate numbers are not limited in this way. So the real "supply" of numbers in the UK is about 650 million. Experience shows that allowing for the continuing process of number changing, and the fact that there will always be some numbers that cannot be allocated, about 60% of the supply can be utilised at any one time. This means that the present scheme restricts us to using no more than 400 million numbers at any one time. In fact the UK (plus the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) is currently using less than 30 million numbers, which should allow plenty of room for growth.

So why is there a problem ? Because the numbering ranges are tied to fixed locations by a formula that has no place in modern telecommunications, and which was originally introduced solely to enable fairly primitive mechanical equipment to route and charge calls correctly. As a result there is a serious imbalance in the distribution of numbers: one code, such as 0393, has only 25 numbers in use - while another, such as 0532, has over 300,000.

The proposed extra digit will NOT solve the problem. Agreed it will create a lot more codes: but even now there are 56 codes that have no numbers on them, and that figure (surprisingly enough) is increasing, not decreasing !

But the extra digit won't provide any more numbers within each of those geographic areas served by individual codes, and that is where the brunt of the demand will be. Currently, growth is caused both by the need for more lines (particularly for fax) and by new operators taking blocks of numbers *within* the individual areas. Future demand will be driven by existing services such as DDI (Direct Dialling In to PABXs) which is a heavy consumer of numbers, and by new services such as Teenline, and Distinctive Ringing.

The latent demand for DDI has been suppressed in the UK by both the lack of availability of connections, and by high tariffs imposed by BT. The arrival of DASS2 (the ISDN signalling system for digital PABXs) makes availability considerably easier, and Mercury and BT are now offering DDI at a much lower tariff.

As demand grows, the larger cities will overflow their allocations of numbers and further complete changes will become necessary. It has recently been announced that five of those cities (Nottingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Leicester and Bristol) are to change to seven digit schemes in 1995: and looking at the list of codes vs numbering density in each (now, I believe, in the uk.telecom archives) it is clear that further places, including Brighton, Belfast and Bournemouth, are also likely to run out of numbers in the next few years.

London's 071 was not expected to last beyond 2005 at the previous growth rates; however allowing for the greater demand caused by DDI and new services, the 071 number range is likely to be exhausted by the end of this decade. At that stage the two options will be either to split the 071 area into two codes, or to convert all of London to an eight digit scheme. This is not a new phenomenon ... even before London split into 071 and 081, two other capital cities (Paris and Copenhagen) had each tried an identical scheme. Those schemes failed, mainly because of confusion between "inner" and "outer" zone numbers, and each was superceded by an eight digit scheme which is reported to have been very successful.

So we don't need an extra digit. And the extra digit (if we get it) won't solve any problems. We do need a complete overhaul of the numbering system, whether we have the extra digit or not. As that overhaul will have to come, it would be far better if we waited - and planned a single change that would solve all the problems, rather than have a hotchpotch of further changes.

But - while the extra digit won't achieve anything for the customers, it will have an interesting effect on BT's sales figures. As soon as the extra digit is imposed, all Mercury Smart Boxes, SmartSockets, and compatible PABX and key systems will stop working unless they have been modified (at the user's expense) because they will be unable to recognise the longer codes. With the reduced differentials between Mercury's tariffs and BT's "options", some users may find it uneconomical to pay the charge for the modifications.

Similarly, payphones supplied before 1992 by BT's competitors will be unable to charge correctly for calls. Some will have to be modified, at a cost, while others, that cannot be modified, will have to be scrapped. Some of those payphones are still on sale to unsuspecting members of the public without any warnings being given as to what is in store.

Question 04:

Who owns this numbering space ?

Answer:

From: mandarin@cix.compulink.co.uk (Richard Cox)

The numbering space is owned by the nation, and (technically) Oftel is its custodian. But in practise Oftel delegates the majority of decisions to BT, and takes advice from BT (and sometimes other operators) on major issues. If Oftel owned the numbering space and managed it effectively, Mercury would have been allocated 0800 and 0345 numbers to issue to their customers, rather than having to use new codes (0500 and 0645) which are still not recognised by some BT (and private) payphones.

Question 05:

Is there a way I can pulse-dial a digital exchange number and then tone dial from there?

Answer:

From: keith@unipalm.co.uk (Keith Mitchell)

Well, if you are not in an area served by Mercury, I would think the only way to do this would be with a BT ChargeCard - you pulse dial the "144", and can tone dial from then on. The main snag, (apart from the extra delay caused by entering your ID and PIN), is that you then have to pay for your call at call-box rates (10p/unit instead of about 6p).

Question 06:

I want to get a BT Chargecard, the problem seemed to be that you need to be a current customer (have a phone) to be able to get one. Is this so? If it is why is it so?

Answer:

From: tjo@its.bt.co.uk (Tim Oldham)

Sorry, but charges incurred on your Chargecard are put on to your phone bill. No phone -> no bill -> no chargecard. This should be catered for, in my opinion, but isn't.

Question 07:

Can you use your subscription to Mercury in the same way as a Chargecard? I think I read that you are supposed to use it from only one phone.

Answer:

[There seems a little confusion over this, I'll leave both these answers in until I get some more information in...]

From: keith@unipalm.co.uk (Keith Mitchell)

It is I believe, strictly illegal to use your Mercury Code from other than your designated phone number. However, it may well be possible to to use it from any line on the same exchange as you.

If I were you, I would wait until Mercury bring out their forthcoming Chargecard service, as I think they are unlikely to restrict this to existing BT subscribers only.

From: gta@uk.ac.st-andrews (Graham Allan)

Some time ago I asked Mercury whether they had/would have a chargecard scheme: they said no, but your mercury code can be used from any phone in your area code. So this would suggest its not illegal.

Question 08:

I've heard someone mention about 0500 on Mercury, what is it ?

Answer:

From: keith@unipalm.co.uk (Keith Mitchell)

This is the STD code for Mercury's answer to BT's toll-free "0800" service. The only people that have seen using it so far are Dell Computers, in some of their PC mag adverts recently. I expect we will see more of it in the near future.

Question 09:

Why can't I direct dial with my BT chargecard on Cellnet ?

Answer:

From: keith@unipalm.co.uk (Keith Mitchell)

Apparently BT have not yet put the infrastructure in for direct-dial from any Cellnet phone, though operator calls are possible. Funny thing is, you can't make even operator calls from Vodaphone phones, even though you can supposedly make them from any country in the world with a BT Chargecard.

Question 10:

Why is there no 0345 access to PSS Dialplus ?

Answer:

Two answers to this one :

From: jcs@zoo.bt.co.uk (John C Sager)

Although I work for BT the following can in no way be construed as an official BT response. Disclaimer out of the way, here goes:

There are probably two main reasons why this is not done.

0345 services (and 0800, 0898, 0891) were designed to give country-wide access at the appropriate charge rate to a specific number in a specific area of the country. There is probably also a method of directing calls originating in a specific area to a regional number - eg - 0345 123456 dialled in Brighton would route to a number somewhere in South East England, and the same number dialled in Scotland would route to a number in, say, Glasgow. In both cases the renter of the 0345 number pays for the trunk call part of the charge. The PSS service has PADs all over the UK, ie dozens of them, so that PSS traffic is not tying up trunk circuits. That would negate the whole point of the service!. The complexity of determining the 0345 routing to all these local PADs is probably not worth it.
The services are currently carried on an overlay network with its own exchanges. By their nature, most of these services are short holding time calls (despite the incidence of children spending long hours on chat-lines & pop music feeds), and the network is dimensioned for this. It is certainly not designed to carry relatively long holding time traffic to PADs!

Perhaps, in the future Intelligent Network Databases will allow this sort of universal number access to lots of local nodes using the existing local network, but that's not imminent as far as I know.

From: cudac@warwick.ac.uk (Tim Clark)

Perhaps I can offer another explanation.

This question was asked, some years ago, at a `Character Terminal Implementors Group' meeting (a UK group which inputs to CCITT on the X.3, X.28 and X.29 recommendations, now defunct).

The representatives from BT Network Services said that since BT was split up into different commercial divisions, BT Network Services would have to pay the full going rate for an 0345 (or 0800) number. That charge would obviously have to get passed on to the PAD user, and on average it would be higher than that of the phone calls made by the PAD user since the majority of them could make a local call.

That's not a full answer, as there are bound to be savings in reducing the number of locations where PAD lines are located (be they real, or out-of-area lines to a PAD somewhere else), but it seemed as though BT Network Services were well aware of the possibility, and would take decisions on cost grounds. A factor which is obviously difficult to quantify is the value of having a single number which PAD users can call. One slight technical hitch is that an NUI is not necessarily known at all PAD centres.

Question 11:

Say I want to access my University computer from home, using an ISDN connection, in order to get fast terminal access and file transfer. What would the full installation & rental cost be, both for me and the University Computing Service? What would I need to connect a PC to a Sun over this ?

Answer:

From: cc_s425@kingston.ac.uk (Syngen Brown)

For ISDN2 (Basic Rate Access), the connection charge is #400.00 and the quarterly rental is #84.00. Call charges are the same as the normal PSTN.

You will need a terminal adaptor at the Unix end, and a PC card in the PC. Terminal adaptors are around #1000. Software is dependent upon what you wish to run over the link. An async terminal connection will probably not utilise the full bandwidth available. It is possible to run IP over the link.

Question 12:

Is it possible to set up a three way call, then have one of the other guys introduce another caller.. ad infinitum?

Answer:

From: brian@rtf.bt.co.uk (Brian N Butterworth)

Yes and no.

With Network Services three way calling, it is possible to introduce a third caller. There is supposed to be a facility (it was mentioned in one of the BT network guides) to introduce 8 callers.

However, if you have a PABX, you may be able to do this anyway using the conference call facility.

Question 13:

What *are* these Network Services that people keep mentioning? Are they a BT version of teletext or something? Do you have to pay for them?

Answer:

Culled from information provided by P.K.Chawdhry@newcastle.ac.uk (Pravir K Chawdhry), clive@x.co.uk (Clive Feather) and pkh@cs.nott.ac.uk (Kevin Hopkins).

Network Services are available on BT's digital exchanges (System X and System Y) and are usually available on the payment of a quarterly rental, though some are available solely on the payment of a per usage charge.

[PLEASE NOTE: This is just a summary, for a full list and charges please] [ see the seperate posting "BT Network Services information"]

Set up features:

5 ==                    Retry When Not Busy (when busy tone heard) [System Y]
*21*number#             Call Diversion (all calls)
*261#                   Call Barring (incoming)
*34bar#                 Call Barring (outgoing)
*40*number#             Call Charge Advice [System X]
*40*number              Call Charge Advice [System Y]
*411#                   Call Charge Advice on all calls
*43#                    Call Waiting
*51*code*number#        Code Calling
*55*time#               Reminder Call
*56*time*programme#     Reminder Programme [System X]
*61*number#             Call Diversion (no reply)
*61*number*wait# ==     Call Diversion (no reply) [Extra System Y facility]
*67*number#             Call Diversion (on busy)

Calling code calls:

**0                     Repeat Last Call (excluding Calling Code calls)
**code                  Code Calling call

Status checks on settings:

*#001#                  Check which services are active [System X]
*#21#                   Call Diversion (all calls)
*#261#                  Call Barring (incoming)
*#34#                   Call Barring (outgoing)
*#411#                  Call Charge Advice on all calls
*#43#                   Call Waiting
*#51*code#              Code Calling
*#55#                   Reminder Call
*#56#                   Regular Programme [System X]
*#61#                   Call Diversion (no reply)
*#67#                   Call Diversion (on busy)

Cancel features:

#21#                    Call Diversion (all calls)
#261#                   Call Barring (incoming) [System X]
#261*keyword#           Call Barring (incoming) [System Y]
#34bar*keyword#         Call Barring (outgoing)
#37# ==                 Retry When Not Busy [System Y]
#411#                   Call Charge Advice on all calls
#43#                    Call Waiting
#51*code#               Code Calling
#55#                    Reminder Call
#56*time*programme#     Reminder Programme [System X]
#56#                    Reminder Programme [System X]
#61#                    Call Diversion (no reply)
#67#                    Call Diversion (on busy)

Question 14:

I use Network Services to bar incoming calls, but when the barring is in force, the dialtone is different, and hence my modem won't autodial. Is there a way round this?

Answer:

From: steveh@tharr.UUCP (Steve Hebditch)

With most Hayes compatible modems you can use the ATX command to prevent the modem from looking for dialtone before it dials. This solves the problem of having to worry about it finding the dialtone.

Question 15:

When I called 175 from home there was a message telling me my phone number, then when I hung up I was called back and offered a mysterious menu. Anyone know how to work it?

Answer:

From: malcolmr@sun.pcl.ac.uk (Malcolm Ray)

Dial 175
Exchange answers and says "You are connected to <number>. Start test."
Hang up
Exchange calls back and says "line testing ok" (assuming it is ok, of course). Then it enters a loop, inviting you to "dial next test" and performing a test based on the single-digit code you give it. From memory, test 1 is the keypad test (dial 123456789*0#) and 3 is the coin pulse test.

Your mileage may vary.

Question 16:

Is Caller ID available in the UK ?

Answer:

From: ccs@aber.ac.uk (Christopher Samuel)

Here is a much more recent statement on Caller ID. Mea non culpa if it isn't correct though. :-)

From: steveh@orbital.demon.co.uk (Stephen Hebditch) The almost definitive CLI statement from a source in BT Networks...

The Calling Person's Number is carried in the MTS C7 header along with a flag to indicate if the CLI information is free for release. Currently this flag is only set for calls originating from ISDN where the customer has opted for its release. The CLI information, however, will be there for all calls that originated from customers at System X, AXE10 or enhanced TXE4 exchanges - although there are currently some problems with the AXE10s.

CLI is always sent to 999 and other operators regardless of the release flag. ISDN customers who have opted to receive CLI will receive it only from those who have the release flag set - currently only other ISDN customers. ISDN users in other countries will again receive it only if the release flag is set and the call has been routed over one of the ISDN-friendly digital paths - international ISDN costs more than normal international calls so customers can opt to choose a standard path for their call which is not guaranteed to work on non-voice calls. For most non-ISDN international calls, the CLI information is stripped from the header regardless of the flag and not passed on to the other telco.

Question 17:

Can I get a fully itemised bill from BT ?

Answer:

From: ccs@aber.ac.uk (Christopher Samuel) From: roy@harlqn.co.uk (Roy Badami)

Yes, with the proviso that you are on a System X or Y exchange. Continuing with the general paranoia of the previous answer... :

It's been claimed on this group before that modern exchanges record time, duration and destination of _all_ calls, regardless of duration. (And keep them rapidly accessible, if not actually on-line, for 6 months.) I've always assumed that the notion of `meter reading' is just notional, to avoid having to record all the calls on the bills they send out. I've heard it said that if you dispute the number of metered units you've used, BT will send you a fully itemized bill, which includes all calls -- not just those of 10 units and over.

Question 18:

How can I phone American 1-800 (toll free) numbers from the UK ?

Answer:

[Distilled from an article forwarded onto uk.telecom from comp.dcom.telecom by gtoal@robobar.co.uk (Graham Toal) by ccs@aber.ac.uk (Christopher Samuel) ]

I'm afraid the answer is no. The service which has been mentioned a few times turned out to be illegal and was defrauding the PTT for a large sum of money ("several thousand dollars" cropped up). Persons outside the of the United States are generally not able to call US 800 numbers for technical and billing reasons.

The number was probably an unrestricted DISA (Direct Inward System Access) port, and resulted in the use of phone lines without the companies knowledge or permission.

Question 19:

How do I dial a number with a mnemonic in it ?

Answer:

From: chris@visionware.co.uk (Chris Davies)

Here's a letter to number mapping; this is particularly useful because many 1-800 numbers have mnemonics in them. I got these from a request in uk.telecom round about the end of September last year.

      Num     UK      USA
      1
      2       ABC     ABC
      3       DEF     DEF
      4       GHI     GHI
      5       JKL     JKL
      6       MN      MNO
      7       PRS     PRS
      8       TUV     TUV
      9       WXY     WXY
      0       OQ      Operator

There is no 'Z' in either system, and there's no 'Q' in the States.

Question 20:

Where can I get an old style BT phone box from ?

Answer:

From: ags@uk.co.gec-mrc (Gavin Spittlehouse)

A couple of people suggested looking in small ad's in Sunday newspapers, Private Eye or Exchange and Mart. One or two people suggested contacting BT directly, but nobody claimed to have tries this or gave any suggestions as to which bit of BT to try. Mark Whidby (M.Whidby@mcc.ac.uk) remembers seeing a company with a yard full of 'phone boxes near Staleybridge.

I looked for the adverts and found a couple in Exchange and Mart.

One company in Essex (0277 899 495, Michael Smith) does them in off-street condition for UKL350+delivery+VAT or reconditioned at around UKL975+delivery+VAT.

Another company (061 767 9259) does them for UKL375+delivery (off-street) or UKL1250+delivery reconditioned. They said that there was no VAT (presumably they're a smaller company who aren't VAT registered?).

They told me that customers usually found it cheaper to buy them reconditioned than to resort to DIY. Reconditioning includes stripping, filling and repainting the cast iron frame, replacing glass (including the `Telephone' signs), guilding the crowns and refurbishing the doors (which were apparently made of teak; I'll check this out with a magnet sometime). Customers who did their own refurbishment usually did it for pleasure or sentimental value rather than to save money.

Delivery would cost UKL125 (from their Birmingham depot to me in Essex), or I could collect if I happened to have a lorry and a fork-lift.

Suggestions for uses were showers, drinks cabinets, fish tanks, to grow plants in, to house a telephone, ...

Question 21:

What is the Mercury beep, and can I get rid of it ?

Answer:

From: mandarin@cix.compulink.co.uk (Richard Cox)

richard@venus.demon.co.uk was talking about the Mercury answer beep. I was just going to mail him, but as he suggested the answers be posted here, I'm happy to agree. The answer beep can annoy customers, if it occurs once the person has started speaking. In some areas, like ours, it is immediate on answer and therefore no problem. It *can* be removed for specific accounts on request although Mercury are reluctant to do this unless essential. They will be doing this in richard@venus's case any day now.

The beep triggers call logging/charging equipment, such as hotel switchboards and payphones, and although it is currently applied to all indirect calls via Mercury (except where the customer has requested its removal), from 2/1/93 it will only be available where the customer has specifically requested it.

So now everyone should be happy !

Question 22:

What types of exchange are there, and which can be digital ?

Answer:

From: rf@cl.cam.ac.uk (Robin Fairbairns)

The types are:

Strowger - rotary switches, etc (UAXs, SAX, TXS)
Electromechanical crossbar (TXKs)
Electronic-control reed-relay switches (TXE2)
SPC non-digital (TXE4*)
Digital (Systems X and Y: may be further categorised as to whether they're ISDN-capable, I suppose)

Now, type (a) accepts your dialling at the point in the switching matrix that your call has so far reached. Every switch has its own dial pulse decoding and routing intelligence. Short of generating the dial pulses at the MDF (where the lines come into the exchange), there's no way to convert them to DTMF. And what would be the point? - pulsing dial pads are _so_ cheap that pretty much everyone's telephone can do the job.

All but type (a) accept the digits you dial into a register, and make the routing decisions centrally based on the contents of the register. In principle, any such exchange can easily be converted to accept DTMF: it simply requires a different input box for the register.

(Historical note: the first electronic research exchange to hit public service in the mid-60s, the TXE1 at Leighton Buzzard [RIP] was DTMF capable. As a person involved with fiddling 'phones at the time, I arranged to go round it with some like-minded friends: we were shown a DTMF 'phone in the exchange manager's office, and were told that there was precisely one `public' user of the service.)

Pretty much any SPC exchange (types (d) and (e)) can in principle offer network services. We know that type (d) can in some cases, since we've had a post to that effect from someone at STC (was it - sorry, I've forgotten your name). We know that type (e) can do it, since they all do...

So there we are: since the advertised date for upgrade is 1998 (that'll teach you to live in Scotland!) I would guess that the original exchange is a late-model TXE2, and that the provision of DTMF was a sop to the punters...

Question 23:

What is the difference between a System X and System Y exchange ?

Answer:

From: mandarin@cix.compulink.co.uk (Richard Cox)

Quoting Raymond Okonski (known in the business as "Buzby"):

Post Office Telephones designed a modular, digital telephone system with Plessey. Other manufacturers complained that it was unfair a monopoly was abusing its power by precluding other suppliers. A complaint was made to the Government and they agreed - at least TWO suppliers to the PO/BT would be required. Ericsson's made the AXE10 which offered practically the same flexibility in a smaller box - mainly because System X was designed by a committee, it was already old before the first release model was available. The AXE10 was renamed by BT to 'System Y' just to keep things 'simple'.

If anything the AXE10 is more fully featured than the 'X' but BT only took the basic software package one each, so both offer practically the same. Incidentally, Cellnet tried to use System X as their mobile switched but dumped it as it was very old tech. Vodafone tried Ericsson, and that is why Vodafone runs totally on AXE10's!

Question 24:

When I use call waiting, and I hear the second caller incoming beep, and press R to get the dialling tone so that I can press 2 to get to the new caller, nothing happens i.e. no dialling tone.

Answer:

From: mandarin@cix.compulink.co.uk (Richard Cox)

You may have switched your phones to tone dialling but there should be a separate switch to change the type of recall from Earth Loop to Timed Break (which is essential to use Call Waiting fully). Sometimes there is only one switch, three position (LD/MFE/MFT) in which case you want MFT. Some MF phones do NOT have the Timed Break (MFT) option - in which case you want a new phone.

Question 25:

Where can I get further information from ?

Answer:

From: ccs@aber.ac.uk (Christopher Samuel)

ONLINE:

There are two other telecoms related newsgroups which I am aware off. They are comp.dcom.telecom and alt.dcom.telecom, but be warned, they tend to be dominated by US specific items, and the comp hierarchy one is moderated as a gatewayed digest, so articles MUST be submitted to the moderator for approval. (Submissions: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu, requests to telecom-request at same address)

FTP:

For anonymous FTP, the Usenet newsgroup comp.dcom.telecom has an archive site at lcs.mit.edu [18.26.0.36], with a quite comprehensive suite of files, including some UK specific stuff.

[Watch this space]

I am currently hopeful of organising an archive at src.doc.ic.ac.uk thanks to a kind offer of help by Lee McLoughlin <lmjm@uk.ac.ic.doc>, who is also now archiving both uk.telecom and comp.dcom.telecom newsgroups into the /usenet/ area of src.doc.ic.ac.uk. More news as I get it.

DIRECT CONTACT:

You could try BT, or Mercury direct, if you really want to.

[My thanks to Kevin Hopkins <pkh@cs.nott.ac.uk> for these numbers] For BT enquiries the phone numbers are:

                                      BT Line           Any Line
      Residential General Enquiries     150           0800 800150
      Residential Fault Reports         151           0800 800151
      Business General Enquiries        152           0800 800152
      Business Fault Reports            154           0800 800154

For Mercury enquiries the phone numbers are:

      General Enquiries               0800 424194
      Fault Reports                   0800 424193
      Billing Enquiries               0800 424196

Another source of information are Mandarin Technology, who have told me that they do try to help anyone needing more telecom-based information, especially in the regulatory fields, and are equally happy to respond to enquiries received by voice, fax or email.

Details (pinched from Richard Cox's .signature):

Mandarin Technology, Cardiff Business Park, Llanishen, CARDIFF, Wales CF4 5WF Voice: +44 222 747111 Fax: +44 222 711111 VoiceMail: +44 399 870101 E-mail: mandarin@cix.compulink.co.uk