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==Phrack Inc.==
Issue XIV, File 4 of 9
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The Reality of the Myth
REMOBS
by Taran King
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In the past, many misconceptions have been made of the legendary
REMOBS system. The term has been used and abused. It used to be known as
REMOB, rather than the proper REMOBS, which stood for Remote Observation. The
REMOBS is a REMote service OBservation System manufactured by Teltone, a
company which makes various telephone equipment peripherals.
REMOBS has a number of features. The REMOBS permits evaluation of
equipment or employee performance. It allows observation of subscriber lines,
CO, toll, and E&M trunks, repair bureaus, and operator positions. It can be
portable or set up as dedicated remote terminals. The observer console can
sample entire networks. REMOBS is compatible with all types of switching and
transmission media.
The purpose of the REMOBS system is to measure performance and
service provided to customers in an impartial and unbiased manner. By
monitoring the subscriber connections throughout the network switch, this can
be achieved. The customer experiences are recorded and statistics are derived
to provide service level indices.
REMOBS is compatible with all switching systems including Step by
Step, Crossbar, and electronic equipment. In each situation, it can observe
almost any transmission point such as subscriber lines, inter- and
intra-office trunks, toll trunks, E&M trunks, repair bureaus, commercial
offices, and operator positions. The console operators can observe by phone
line, from one location, any switch location/CO with the remote unit
installed.
The M-241 system (which includes the console and remote terminal)
observes up to 40 circuits, but can scan up to 100 lines with a remote
terminal. The terminal may observe up to 5 locations simultaneously, with a
capacity to observe 500 circuits at any one time.
The REMOBS system can observe all remote terminals at any switching
system location through the console controls, making it feasible to observe an
entire network. Remote terminals are equipped with plug-in connectors so they
can be moved routinely to observe desired locations.
The M-241 Remote Terminal: The remote terminal is located at the point of
========================== observation. It may be ordered in portable or
dedicated configuration. The remote terminal remains inactive until accessed
by the controlling console. The remote unit is 6.5" high, 22.88" wide, and
11.7" deep, arranged for relay rack mounting.
The M-242 Observer's Console: Console operators access the remote terminals
============================= through telephone lines. Access to the remotes
is limited to console operators who know the access number, timing, and four
digit security code. Additional security is available with the optional
security dialback feature. The System automatically scans observed circuits.
The first circuit to become busy is selected and held by the system until the
necessary information is secured, the operator presses the reset button, or
the calling party goes on-hook. Timing circuits automatically drop the call
100 seconds after the calling party goes off-hook or, if answer supervision is
present, 15 seconds after the called party answers. The console itself looks
very much like a cash register. Where the digits are normally, there are
places for the trunk identity, called number, stop clock, and memory. The
pushbutton controls consist of the following: power (key switch), hold
buttons, select buttons, calling party, called party, display hold, clear,
O.G. line, auto reset, reset (manual), read (stop clock operate), talk, voice
exclusion, memory, plus a standard touch-tone keypad with the A, B, C, and D
keys. There are 2 monitor jacks, a volume control and, for the primitive
lines and switches, a rotary dial next to the touch-tone keypad. The
operator's console stands 2.25" in the front and 8.25" in the back; it's
17,25" wide and 16.5" deep.
The observation system network is set up in the following manner.
The operator observer is in an observing center at the local Central Office
with the M-242 REMOBS Central Console (which looks like a telephone to the
Central Office). Through the standard telephone network, communications
occurs between the console and the remote. From the CO, through the incoming
circuitry, it goes through the connector to the M-241 REMOBS Remote Terminal
(which looks like a telephone to the access line). From there the connection
is made to the circuits to be observed including the subscribers lines,
line-finders, toll trunks, repair lines, etc.
The information provided is both visual and audible. The visual
display, showed on the panel, includes the identity of the remote terminal,
the identity of the observed circuit, the signalled digits (up to 52), the
status of the calling and called parties (on/off-hook), and the timing of the
call. The audible information (which is provided through headset or handset)
includes the call progress tones for disposition (dial tone, type of
signalling, 60 IPM, 120 IPM, ringing, answer, etc.) and voice transmission
(calling and called parties).
The REMOBS system is very much different from often-misconceived
system known as 4Tel made by Teredyne. REMOBS is very much different from the
dial-up - enter 1 code - be given instructions simplicity of the 4Tel but it
still has the legendary capabilities of listening in remotely.
If you wish to gain more information about the REMOBS system, Teltone
Corporation can be written to at 10801 - 120th Avenue N.E., Kirkland, WA 98033
or phoned at (206) 827-9626.
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