Tag Archives: technology

Technical, Telecommunications

Nexus 6p, wifi calling/VoLTE/IMS, T-Mobile

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Mostly a knowledge dump for those searching for it, including possibly my future self.

Default config doesn't work right. VoWiFi is greyed out, and Advanced LTE voice is grayed out. How to fix?

*#*#4636#*#*

Choose "Phone Information" and under "Set Preferred Network Type" choose "LTE/UMTS auto (PRL)". LTE should provision and in the corner triple dot menu, choose "IMS Service Status" and if it now says "IMS Registration: Registered" you're good to go. If not, contact T-Mobile and tell them you have a problem with your Nexus 6p and IMS provisioning and ask them to check the knowledge base, as they need to open a ticket with their NOC to fix it. There's a known issue with the IMS hostname or something like that. It'll take a few days to fix. Try this again if it doesn't resolve itself in a few days.

Servers, Technical, Virtualization

iommu.c kernel panic when upgrading to Xenserver 6.5

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I found a bug exists on some Intel ICH9 Family chipsets that causes an error:

Image of a computer providing a iommu.c error
Image of a computer providing a iommu.c error

Panic on CPU 0:
Assertion 'rmrr->base_address < rmrr->end_address' Failed at iommu.c:1848
Reboot in five seconds...
The solution to this is simple.

First: Upgrade the system with the unsupported method 🙂
xe host-call-plugin plugin=prepare_host_upgrade.py host-uuid=e6238743-x-x-x-12c391702c0b fn=testUrl args:url=http://yourwebserverhere/xenserver65/

If it returns "true", go for the next step:
xe host-call-plugin plugin=prepare_host_upgrade.py host-uuid=e6238743-x-x-x-12c391702c0b fn=main args:url=http://yourwebserverhere/xenserver65/

This will take a while and return true. These are the steps that the rolling pool plugin uses.

now edit /boot/extlinux.conf and on each "append" line and change "vga=mode-????? —" on labels "upgrade" and "xe" to add "iommu=disable" ("vga=mode-??? iommu=disable —") and reboot. It should complete the network upgrade as normal and work properly after that.

Legal, Telecommunications

How green is the astroturf over there?

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A recent article in Fierce Telecom titled "Special access, end of PSTN no secret to wireline marketplace" , written by Bruce Mehlman was a response to an article written by Bruce Kushnick, who is no friend of the incumbent telephone companies, for sure.

But who is Bruce Mehlman and the organization he co-founded, the "Internet Innovation Alliance"? Good question.

The tone of the article would imply that they're an advocacy group for broadband by any means necessary – they want speed and don't care under what terms and conditions it's available, as long as it's "cheap".  Seems fair and innocent enough, from the "cheap, fast, good, pick two" – they chose cheap and fast. I disagree with this strategy, but more power to them.

But wait – what they're advocating is exactly what AT&T is trying to carry out with SB636 in Michigan. I can't help but think that's a bit odd, so I dig a bit to see what the story is with this "Internet Innovation Alliance" that I've never heard of before. What I found was interesting.

With some digging, I found their list of members.

I'll reproduce it here:

 

1 Economy Incorported Donor Supported by AT&T and Verizon
American Council of the Blind Donor AT&T and Verizon are major sponsors of their event.
The American Conservative Union Ideological Not specifically related to AT&T. Generally supports elimination of government regulations.
Applied Optoelectronics Supplier Supplier for AT&T and Verizon's FTTP products
Alcatel-Lucent Supplier/Common Origins One of AT&T's largest suppliers. Lucent was a spinoff of Bell Labs, which was at one time AT&T.
Americans for Tax Reform Ideological Not specifically related to AT&T. Generally supports elimination of government regulations.
AT&T Self The phone company. The people the organization speaks highly of in the op-ed.
B-Tech Supplier AT&T Supplier – AT&T's logo is right on their front page.
Berry Test Sets Supplier AT&T Supplier – Ironically provides premier test equipment for that "obsolete network" that they're trying to get rid of. Their techs carry this tool a lot.
Communications Technology Solutions / CBM of America Supplier AT&T Vendor
Ciena Supplier AT&T Vendor
Condux Supplier AT&T Vendor
CompTIA Indeterminate Not specifically related to AT&T, but AT&T is a large sponsor of theirs.
Connected Nation  AT&T related AstroTurf group Astroturf group heavily funded by AT&T. Even performs research for AT&T.
Corning Supplier Major AT&T Supplier of Fiber Optic Cable
United States Cattleman's Association Indeterminate, likely donor The site doesn't mention sponsors at all, but the cattlemen's association goes out of its way to file FCC comments all the time in support of various AT&T initiatives.
FiberControl Indeterminate Probably an AT&T supplier. Very niche equipment supplier.
GoFoton Supplier CTO worked at AT&T for 30 years, likely an AT&T supplier as well.
National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry Indeterminate, likely donor Outspoken advocate of AT&T's policies. Major donors not mentioned on their homepage.
American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance Indeterminate, likely a front group AHGA and AHF Privacy Policy- AHGA and AHF will not disclose any information whatsoever about their members,
customers, or supporters to any other parties under any circumstances. – Advocate of AT&T policies in the past.
Hispanic Telecommunications and Technology Partnership Indeterminate, likely a front group Promotes many AT&T initiatives, ties to the NTCA and USTA. All positions seem to be related to AT&T initiatives.
Hispanic Leadership Fund Indeterminate, likely ideological Unknown, no public webpage, no known policy statements.
Independent Technologies Inc Supplier Supplier, ironically, of equipment for AT&T's "Obsolete" POTS/TDM network.
Independent Women's Forum Donor/Ideological AT&T is a donor to the IWF.  Generally supports elimination of government regulations.
Japanese American Citizens League Donor "Website made possible by the generous sponsorship of AT&T" (search in page for that string)
LCLAA Trade Union Trade Union group (Trade unions that deal with AT&T tend to support AT&T policy in exchange for promises to include their laborers in new initiatives)
LULAC
Donor/Ideological
AT&T is part of their "Corporate Alliance"
Intertribal Agriculture Council  Likely Donor Recently, the Intertribal Agricultural Council has been involved in many non-agricultural things, such as the AT&T and T-Mobile merger, and the Sirius XM merger. Why? Who knows.
MetroTel Corp  Supplier AT&T Supplier
Minerva Networks Potential Supplier Minerva sells IPTV middleware that controls IPTV set top boxes. AT&T uses Microsoft MediaRoom, but given that Microsoft has no interest in continuing that line, I suspect AT&T is working with Minerva at this point to replace MediaRoom.
National Assocation for Female Executives  Likely Donor Both NAFE and AT&T pat each other on the back a lot.
National Association of Neighborhoods  Likely Donor NAH has spoken heavily in favor of previous AT&T initiatives.
National Coalition on Black Civic Participation AT&T and CWA staff on board of directors
National Health IT Collaborative for the underserved Likely Donor They do not appear to have made any public statements in favor of AT&T initiatives, and appear to be otherwise legitimate.
National Black Chamber of Commerce Donor The AT&T Foundation has donated thousands to this group, if not more.
National Puerto Rico Coalition Donor AT&T is a primary sponsor.
National Spinal Cord Injury Association Likely Donor They do not appear to have made any public statements in favor of AT&T initiatives, and appear to be otherwise legitimate.
OASIS Institute Donor AT&T donated half a million dollars to this group.
National Utility Contractors Association Supplier Consortium of AT&T suppliers
Prysmian Cables and System Supplier Manufacturer of fiber optic cable
Small Business Entrepreneurship Council Ideological Possibly supported by AT&T, definitely ideologically opposed to government regulation.
Suimitomo Lightwave Supplier Fiber optic manufacturer
Sheyenne Dakota, Inc Likely Supplier They manufacturer wiring harnesses.
SeniorNet Donor AT&T and Verizon are sponsors.
SNC Manufacturing Supplier AT&T supplier of high voltage isolation equipment
Suttle Supplier Supplier of various telecommunications cabling and connectors. (Many punchdown blocks are made by Suttle)
Telesync Supplier Ironically, most of their products are for those old, evil POTS services they're trying to get rid of.
TechAmerica Consortium AT&T is a member
USIIA Consortium AT&T is involved with this group. Verizon has an employee on the board of directors. They have a history of speaking in favor of all AT&T initiatives, all the way back to the bell south merger.
Women Impacting Public Policy AT&T employees part of advisory board / Ideological Corporate Advisory Board has AT&T (and Comcast, who does not oppose these laws) members. Several.  Generally supports elimination of government regulations.
Asian Women in Business  Donor AT&T heavily sponsored this group

Now, to be clear, I don't think that taking a single dollar of AT&T's money taints you. But when you're part of a public policy group that is unrelated to your mission (What does this have to do with Indian agriculture, or cattlemen?), and you take money from AT&T, your opinion may be not as independent as you make it sound.

The thing with nonprofits is, they don't have an inherent means of self support. They rely on donors. If you get a big donor that seems awesome at first, it opens a lot of doors for you. When they ask for your support, and it doesn't seem completely unreasonable (just sign your name to this, it's going to pass anyway and we could really use your help, as we've helped you in the past) – few organizations can afford to say no, especially if it doesn't harm their constituency directly or go against their stated goals. It puts them in the unenviable position of either giving a large donor a hand over something inconsequential to their members/beneficiaries/whatever, or taking an unnecessary stand to say "This is tangential to our mission" and risk a pay cut.

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There's a little for everyone in this one. Please read? :)

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My pokemans! Let Me Show You Them!

Thanks to for the pointer.

Also it is important to note that the party at my house on Saturday is not my official "house warming" party but mostly a venue for the amusingly named annual event "strippers and dirty magazines" which is not as illicit as it sounds, I promise.

Actual housewarming party plans will exist in August or so. We will be actually moved in by then. It would be earlier but some people require at least 2 weeks notice, as well as my ailing grandma who cannot travel out to Detroit will be in town back home, and we need to go visit her, and that's in late July / early August. All the timing for that is up in the air but it will actually likely be really close to our first anniversary as well. Yay? 🙂

If you will be in attendance THIS SATURDAY, and seek to sit somewhere other than my back step, crosslegged on my porch, or the grass, you are advised to bring a chair. We have 4 with our patio table. We account for two of them.

Utilities ordered to be changed: Check. Power/Gas/POTS Telephone/Cable TV and (temporary) Cable Modem will be ready Friday.
Appliances ordered: Will arrive Saturday, Check. Ever bought a stove and refrigerator from the parking lot of a random bank?* I now have. Sprint PCS EVDO and The Home Depot combined make it possible!
Insurance purchased: Check. Muhaha. Thanks .
Loan paperwork and arrangements finalized: Check
Financial instrument to reimburse previous owner for overpaid property tax: Will be acquired before closing.

Less than 36 hours until I drop more money than I've ever spent in my life on anything. Yikes.

I filed an ASR for our A Links today.

I gave a rural school district more bandwidth than I thought was possible in their neck of the woods today.

I saw fireworks.

Something something something south central L.A.
so I say it was a good day.

* I was making a pit stop cause my car was being a bitch and I happened to pull into a flagstar bank lot.

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Dayton woo!

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I'm now in Dayton Ohio for Hamvention.

I'm running entirely on emergency power, field day style. I've got a full data setup with lots of bandwidth toward the internet. It's quite possibly the most hardcore setup here, and that's saying something. Me and , in a tent, in the middle of a field, with a laptop, EVDO data, weatherradio, two ham radios, a cache of nonperishable food and snacks, as well as drinks, all the way down to charging my cellphones and blackberry.
I'm living up all the creature comforts, save for a campfire. Here's to hoping I can figure that one out for saturday night.