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The MCI Help facility. MCI Mail includes a built-in help facility that displays information about the use of commands and data about different topics. To use the help facility, the user types:

HELP { command-nametopic

To obtain a list of topics, the user types HELP INDEX. Among the topics supported are:

Topic Information Provided
ACCESS Telephone access information.
ACCOUNT Terminal settings.
ADDRESS Available addressing options.
APPENDIX Pricing, sales representatives, and directory searching.
BULLETIN BOARD Owning and viewing bulletin boards.
COUNTRY Countries that receive MCI Mail.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT How to contact MCI Mail Customer Service.
DELIVERY Mail delivery.
FAX MCI Mail fax dispatch.
GRAPHICS Letterheads and signatures.
HANDLING Option commands that define how messages are handled and delivered.
LISTS Creation of address lists.
MAILBOX The MCI Mailbox.
PC Offline file creation and uploading to MCI Mail.
PRICES MESSAGES Rates for sending MCI Mail messages.
REQUEST Ordering of reference manuals.
SPECIAL FEATURES Additional features about MCI Mail.
TELEX How to exchange messages with MCI Mail.
TEXT Creating text in a message.
X400 Transmitting to an X.400 electronic mail address.

U.S. Sprint SprintNet

Customer service:

US and overseas WATS access: (800) 877-5045
International non-WATS access: (703) 689-6400

To log in to this network, users must:

1.  Set the communications configuration.
Primary setting: 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity
Secondary setting: 7 data bits, 1 stop bit, even parity
2.  Dial the SprintNet access number. The user dials customer service for the access number or refers to the completed table at the end of this entry.
3.  Identify duplex setting. The user hits a carriage return for full duplex and hits a semicolon and a carriage return for half-duplex transmission. SprintNet can be informed of a computer’ use of data bits, stop bit, parity, its operating rate, and duplex setting by the use of a 2- or 3-character sequence called Hunt/Confirm. The following items indicate communications parameter settings, data rate, and duplex mode identified by the Hunt/Confirm sequences supported by SprintNet.
4.  Respond to the TERMINAL = prompt with the 2-character terminal identifier or press a carriage return. Use D1 for a computer.
5,Enter  the area code (AAA) and the local exchange (111), followed by a carriage return — AAA, LLL if access is by in-WATS service.
6.  Respond to the @ prompt with the connect command C followed by the destination host or terminal address and an optional ID/password using the following format:
C DDDDDD,IIIIII [return]
where: C is connect command
DDDDDD is destination address
IIIIII is the user identification
7.  If required, the user then responds to the PASSWORD = prompt with the password followed by a [return].

US Sprint SprintNet quick access reference numbers: in-WATS service:

300.2,400 b/s: (800) 546-1000
9,600 b/s (V.32): (800) 546-2500
9,600 b/s (V.29): (800) 546-2000

SUMMARY

Knowledge of communications terms, features, and network access methods can provide portable computer users with the ability to efficiently and effectively communicate with other computers and information resources. In addition, preplanning trips to determine and record telephone access numbers required to use the resources of different value-added carriers and electronic mail providers can save users a considerable amount of time and effort to obtain that information when in a travel status.


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