Subject: [Enum] proposal for a fax number - email address lookup

From: John Perkins <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 01 Nov 1999 16:12:30 +1100

Greetings.

I have raised the proposal as outlined below, in the ieft-fax list, and was
kindly referred to this list which I have now joined. It seems like it is
within the goals of the group. I re-post my proposal below, and perhaps I
may be advised to what extent the proposal may or may not be satisfied by
the work of this group, and of any other comments.

I had in mind a cgi sript type implementation but obviously a DNS based
system is better.

Pardon my ignorance (I looked for an achive but none was there). Could
someone eloborate the following acronyms for me please? 
ENUM? MIB? BOF?

Proposal
--------
I would like to propose a universally accessible database or lookup
procedure whereby individuals may validly and voluntarily nominate an email
address to be associated with their fax telephone number. Database entries
could be set up at a web site administered by a suitable authority or in
conjuction with telephone companies. The email address would be for use as
an alternative destination to the fax number under certain conditions. The
email address would be retrieved by suitable URL reference which would
include the phone number. The alternative email address could be used when
for example the fax line was busy or unavailable, and would receive the fax
as a TIFF attachment. The database facility would enable automatic
contingency routing. The database may reside on a server accessed by cgi
scripts or may take some other form compatible with the infrastructure.

Background
----------
A large number of phone lines which are used as dial-up lines for Internet
access are also used at other times for voice or fax traffic. There now
exist schemes such as Internet call diversion whereby an incoming voice
call to a PSTN number can be converted to an IP voice call in the event
that the number is currenty busy with an IP connection. This requires that
the user pre-register for the service with the telco and have certain
software loaded and running in the event that a call is received.

It may increasingly be the case that phone lines previously dedicated to
fax may similarly be used for occasional dial-up Internet access. A scheme
similar to Internet call diversion could be implemented whereby the dial-up
subscriber installs suitable software to receive a real time fax, converted
to IP by the telco. An easier alternative would be for the fax message to
be encapsulated as a TIFF and forwarded by email. Various parties may wish
to perform this service. The availbility of a universal database to
facilitate this would be of benefit to consumers. vendors and (possibly)
telcos alike.

Security issues
---------------
The possibility of mis-use may be the most serious implementation obstacle.
Certain users may wish to partake of this service, in co-operation with
their telco, in a such a way that the email address is not divulged. In
that case they may have to pay for a service which may otherwise be free.
(It is always a free call to find out if a number is busy).

Some security would be afforded by operator fax receipt confirmation. After
registration, the email address would not become operational before
validation by the fax line owner. This could be done by the registation
process sending a fax message to the desinated fax number containing a code
which must be correctly entered into a confirmation message sent from the
designated email address.

--------------------------------------------------------
John Perkins	
Exfax Technologies Pty Ltd
PO Box 6004    Melbourne    Australia  3004
Tel +61 3 9534 5495	Fax +61 3 9534 8994
http://www.exfax.com
--------------------------------------------------------

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