RP> We're "lucky" by comparison here: our Bell Canada has the _sole_
 RP> responsibilty and jurisdiction up here for telephone useage, as
 RP> granted under Federal Charter. All I had to do was simply have Bell
 RP> deliver the equipment to me: I did all the installation work (minus
 RP> the drop from for the telco line, that is) on my own. When we first
 RP> started-out, we integrated computer, fax, and answering machine
 RP> (even did the "Muzak" - piped-in music-on-hold - thing...) on one
 RP> line...
 AA> Where do you get the "Muzak"?
My use of (the trademarked name) "Muzak" was incorrect in my earlier
message: I should have referred to this solely as "piped-in music", the
commonly-accepted generic term for this feature. Citing "Muzak" is a fault of
mine that comes from my days as a (radio) broadcast engineering technician...
If genuine "Muzak" feeds are desired, you should contact your local broad
-caster for further information regarding price structures, etc.
 AA> Does Bell do this exclusively?
"Muzak" is a private service that supplies audio information - usually
in the form of continuous (interruption-free) music of one descript or
another. You hear "Muzak" commonly in the larger shopping malls: their owners
pay "Big-Time" for a feed even though this comes via a broadcaster's
Subsidary Communications Channel (SCC) that piggybacks the main carrier from
a station. The (combined) signal arrives at a specialised radio receiver (an
SCA - Subsidary Communications Adapter) that separates the two: how the
"Muzak" channel is used is left entirely up to the (paying) receiver - ie:
mall music, store background music, office telephone "hold" background music.
Bell, to the best of my knowledge, does come in to make the connection for a
"Muzak" feed when the intention is to pipe-in music when phones at any
particular location are put on "hold". This is a separate service to that of
a "Muzak" feed, and consequently so are the (monthly) Bell service charges
and it's one-time installation fee. Mind, it's really not a "big thing" to
make such a connection...at least not for anyone with (minimal) knowledge of
Bell System specs and wiring conventions.
SOHO operators can (and do) achieve much the same effect by coupling-up a
continuous-loop audio tape machine to their telephone lines. This method
allows the SOHO to decide what type of music will be heard daily when they
push the "hold" buttons on their phone sets. The _problem_ here, mind you,
lies in the fact that whatever _pre-recorded_ music is played happens in a
royalty-less environment...a legal SNAFU should any of the recording artists
come to realise this, and have their solicitors drum-out the threatening
demands for immediate direct royalty payments. "Muzak" providers include such
royalty payments in their monthly billings. Of course the way around the
royalties problem can be overcome by using material that has been placed in
the Public Domain...or to produce one's own original music, a task-and-a-half
in it's own !
There have been reports of legal repercussions if one decides to "co-op" the
programming of a broadcast entity for their piped-in feeds. To circumvent
this, it is advised to get written permission of the broadcast station,
specifying the free use of on-air programmed segments for "momentary" pauses
(such as what happens when using a phone's "hold" feature). Added security
comes when such written permissions are renewed yearly (stations' Program
Directors change frequently in that industry, and the concepts of one PD are
not always the same at any given time of the year...). You will note that I
used the word "momentary" above: if you permitted, for example, the complete
Six O'Clock News to be heard then you could (concievably) be accused of
"re-broadcasting" programmed material. Nominally-speaking, Bell does _not_
contentent that kind of activity from Subscribers...and that alone would
likely raise the eyebrows of more than a few station PDs and managers...
Realistically speaking, a "genuine" Bell phone is not necessarily needed.
They'd very much like this to be, mind you. OTOH, though the regulations have
been loosened over the last several years, I think Bell still compel
_business phone_ users to use Bell equipment over Third-Party sets in a more
-or-less "mandatory" fashion.
Since my office is located in my home, Bell says that it's responsibilities
for connection ends at the building drop-box, making way for me to install
sets (and other Third-Party ISC-approved equipment) of my own choosing. I
suppose that Bell could come along and force me to abide by any regulations
regarding business phone use, but that I can see, there appears to be a some
-what convoluted and confusing definition for the prejorative terms "office"
and "home". The (physical) Bell line drop ends at the same location on the
outside wall of my house: the office is but a mere room within this same
building. What set of rules apply, I haven't got the clearest notion !
Technically, Bell hasn't anything to argue with me since I can prove that all
my lines (and attached equipment) operate _within_ the Bell Code's specs: it
may be another matter when it comes down to the legalities...and billing
aspects, of course.
Semper Fi
RTP
~~~ PGPBLUE 3.0 
... "It's serious," he explained, "we're low on duct tape!"
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