Why "carnivore" type systems can't be (entirely) open source

[Ian Johnson]

Owen Lewis wrote:

> In my view, not so. TACS/ETACS was convenient (and had better range than
> GSM).

Totally agreed, for someone who generally uses their phone off the
beaten
track in Wales a major plus.

> Joe Soap got very teed off with the pandemic SIM card cloning and the
> lack of all privacy. Even with more frequent drop-outs, GSM gave him what he
> felt he needed most and he migrated quickly and willingly to GSM. 

I disagree. Cloning didn't cost me much more than a little
inconvenience,
(happened 3 times) - GSM was virtually forced onto me.  Security was
never
an issue to me.  If you know every man & his dog can hear you it doesn't 
stop you speaking although it may alter what you say. Telling my wife
I'm
going to be late home is not the sort of conversation i worry about
having
eavesdropped

> He got the
> privacy he felt he needed.

No, the phone operators got reduced fraud costs which is why I believe
they
pushed it.

UTMS is a different issue.  It appears to me yet another step towards
creating an infrastructure for universal surveillance

-- 
Ian Johnson                             Tel  : +44 117 965 6261 x3167
Faculty of CSM, UWE Bristol		Email: irj@acm.org
Frenchay Campus, Bristol. BS16 1QY. UK.