Steve Shear <azur@netcom.com> writes:

...

[very useful explanation of GSM TDMA, and the new HSCSD]

64 kbit/s tied to ISDN is very nice technology.

...

ENCRYPTED GSM LINKS If the GSM phone includes a data port, as some already do, just connect your laptop, dial your ISP and 'push' the encrypted traffic over that link (e.g., using TCP/IP and PGPfone).

This would obviously be possible, but to my mind reduces the appeal of the system. Not every one has a laptop. [snip]

Retrofitting the stonger encryption (e.g., IDEA) to some existing GSM phones may be practical (as I've discussed in previous postings), but unless the service providers support the stonger crypto (seems very unlikely at the moment)parties at the other end of the line will need an Eric Blossom-like device or a laptop running PGPfone. I can see no way around this.

Also, the cell phone tarriffs may be higher if you need higher bandwidth to get the software only voice codec implementations in PGPfone to produce equivalent full-duplex voice quality to that expected from a digital mobile phone.

I may be wrong, but the faster laptops are already able to support the GSM codes and rates in PGPfone (or could). However, most of the service providers may only be offering 9.6kb/s GSM data links at this time, and this would surely impact voice quality. If or when 28.8kb/s data is common via GSM voice links via PGPfone should be better than the default GSM coded voice. --Steve PGP Fingerprint: FE 90 1A 95 9D EA 8D 61 81 2E CC A9 A4 4A FB A9 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Schear (N7ZEZ) | Internet: azur@netcom.com Lamarr Labs | Voice: 1-702-658-2654 7075 West Gowan Road | Fax: 1-702-658-2673 Suite 2148 | Las Vegas, NV 89129 | --------------------------------------------------------------------- Internet, electronic currency and wireless development 1935 will go down in history! For the first time a civilized nation has full gun registration! Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead in the future! --Adolf Hitler