Now, here's my problem with this nice-sounding product. I called the 800 number to ask for an explanation of this product, which immediately aroused my suspicion.
From my conversation with the receptionist on the other end of the phone, which was somewhat less than informative, the idea of Spread Spectrum technology is that the signal is spread out into individual packets on different wavelengths, then reconstituted at the other end, using some sort of session key generated at the beginning of each transaction.
Essentially this is correct, but as Phil Karn already pointed out... spread spectrum is easy to de-spread. However, Motorola has a cordless phone called the Secure Clear phone that operates at 46 to 50 MHz (standard cordless phone freqs.) that has "encryption" between the handset and the base. After calling motorola I am not impressed... they use frequency inversion. Their support person stated that the goal is to "stop casual eavesdroppers that might use baby-monitors or police scanners." Which is fine and good. I know, from personal experience, the problems that can arise from cordless telephones being monitored and the information used against a person. The Motorola and Cincinatti Microwave phones can help with the casual listeners that are out there (and there are quite a few of them!), but neither will stop an interested party with resources to spare. :) -- "I'm not being irrational, I just know to much." - Tim Allen -- Pat Hykkonen, N5NPL Texas State Technical College at Waco Internet: {pat,postmaster,root}@tstc.edu Instructional Network Services Packet: N5NPL@WD5KAL.#CENTX.TX.USA.NA 3801 Campus Dr. Waco, Tx 76705 Public keys available! ** 1984 + 10 ** V:(817) 867-4830 F:(817) 799-2843