Carrier provides fast response and instant problem solving Earlier this year we cut over to SS7. In Utah we had dozens of Qwest techs on line - one at every point of access in the signaling chain. Any problem was fixed on the spot. In one day we were up and running. The contrast between Qwest and Luminet was remarkable. The latter did our Nevada SS7 connection. It took us weeks. Seems only one leg at a time was turned up. Never the overall coordination we enjoyed with Qwest. And speaking of Qwest, I goofed. In June, I implied a Qwest guy was involved in an SS7 problem. An outsourcer trying to tell Chuck he had a problem that could only be resolved by diving in a Qwest manhole. Then testing a spliced fiber (carrying toll traffic) to make sure a signal was (or was not) there. Qwest's Karla Quintana called Chuck. Did we have a problem? No. Not at all, I am happy to say, ever since Ms Quintana took over being our contact person with that company we do not have problems. Every time, without fail, when we need a question answered, or coordination done with Qwest, it happens. If she doesn't know the answer, she finds someone and gets back to us. Hasty pronto. However, because of that same June article, retired AT&T tech Ken Koenitzer wrote. He said in '96 he remembers seeing a Bell Atlantic memo that said it's not referred to as a manhole. Now it is a personhole. Did Bell Atlantic change its spell checkers? Operator Services We had one of the first automated operator systems in the country. It upgrades using OS/2 software and had operated flawlessly for nearly 15 years. Compared to anything else, the OS/2 was bulletproof. Hardware failure could be the Achilles heel. We just left the system where it was and hoped for the best. In the past two years, we completed converting some 15 CO's to third generation digital switches. This year we've been moving to equal access. Terminating the operator office (and profits) was planned for this fall. We told the minimum security prison to make plans to shift its system elsewhere as our operator services for the inmates was going away. Bad karma. Our system must have heard us talking. Three weeks before the scheduled switch of the prison's phones, the automated operator died. Most of our subs were gone with equal access to other operators. And that is another story. The last two operators were laid off. We're back to a 5 day/week manned administrative-only office in Wendover. We still have 24/7 for customers dialing 611. But outside of the 40-hour week, it routes to a contracted "service'. BLM GETTING EVEN? A year ago, BLM built a new office building at its fire station in Vernon, Utah. Its 2,500-ft. airstrip has always been used for government light aircraft and by us for telephone repair in the area. BLM contractors asked us to review a new telephone line for connection. We had no people, so I volunteered to fly over and check it out. On landing, I asked the two contractors if it was OK for me to land. Sure. I told them where our buried cables were, and what they now needed to do for us to connect. Climbed in the Mooney. Taxied about 2000 feet north. Turned around. All clear. Lifted off about 1,000 feet later and departed. Months later learned that BLM had the U.S. Attorney's office filing a complaint. Accused me of reckless flying. The U.S. Code cited is a max one hundred dollar catch-all section. I won't admit I was reckless. If I did, their plan is to take it to the FAA and demand revocation of my pilot license. We estimate BLM has blown some five grand tax dollars on this so far. Trial's coming.   © Beehive Telephone Co.