http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3448581.stm The Indian government has banned the sale of pre-paid cash cards for cell phones in the northeastern states of Assam and Meghalaya, allegedly because separatists have bought lots of them for hard-to-trace communications. Reliance Telephone, who runs cell service in those areas, didn't feel they had a choice about complying. (If it were VSNL, the former telecom monopoly, that'd be no surprise, but Reliance is a big competitor.) Consumer groups are extremely upset and vocal (at least until their current phone cards run out, at which point they'll become much quieter...) We'll see how long Bogus Homeland Security can override consumers and smugglers.-- Bill Stewart bill.stewart@pobox.com