Re: LAW: Wireless interception

Phil Karn writes:

Mike is correct that early models of cordless phones could often be picked up on broadcast radios. Their base stations transmitted just above the AM broadcast band (in the 1.7 Mhz region). Since then, all new cordless phones operate on the 46 and 49 Mhz bands, which generally require a scanner to receive.

However, cell phones still operate in what used to be UHF TV channels 70-83, and it is still possible in some cases to intercept cell phone calls on a UHF TV set. So much for *that* theory. :-)

Actually, all this shows is that the drafters of ECPA didn't anticipate that TV watchers would use their TVs to overhear cellular conversations. --Mike