Xref: utzoo soc.culture.german:3643 comp.dcom.modems:9137 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!mcsun!unido!ira.uka.de!smurf!altger!doitcr!lwtua6!bressler From: bressler@lwtua6.sdi.sub.org (Stefan Bressler) Newsgroups: soc.culture.german,comp.dcom.modems Subject: Re: Modems for use in Germany? Message-ID: <675@lwtua6.sdi.sub.org> Date: 7 Apr 91 22:03:00 GMT References: <1991Apr3.221343.4573@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <2723@sapwdf.UUCP> Organization: EDV-Beratung und Entwicklung Lines: 36 In article <2723@sapwdf.UUCP> Bill Wohler writes: >jlhg0793@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Joseph Herl) writes: >> I read some time ago that users of foreign modems should be careful >>that the modem does not release any current into the telephone line, but I >>can't remember why. Can anyone explain this? > > it could be the other way around. if the bundespost knows that you > have one phone, they may be able to detect the presence of the modem > if it is also connected to the line. this is the "Ringer > Equivalence" and usually each phone or device has a RE of 1. > >> One person has told me that the Bundespost's restrictions on foreign >>modems will no longer exist after 1991. Is this true? > > if anyone else knows about this, i would like to hear it. i've got > lots of US devices that are just waiting... No. In 1991 there has only been one change: Nowadays we are able to buy our telephone equipment ourselves in a shop rather than renting it from German Bundespost. In order to use it legally, all equipment must be Bundespost approved. (By the way, this approvement is called ZZF). But I suggest you, to ignore this approvement. I know of many cases, where non-approved equipment is being used and of no case where this is a problem. The US devices work perfectly in Germany and have a much better price/performance ratio than ZZF-approved devices. If you don't bother German Bundespost and if you pay your phone bill they will not bother you. mit freundlichen Gruessen Stefan Bressler -- ------------------------------------------------------------- Bussardstrasse 42 bressler@sdi.sub.org D-8025 Unterhaching bressler@lan.informatik.tu-muenchen.de