Newt's phone calls

[David Wagner]

In article <Pine.GSO.3.95.970113203329.21655A-100000 at cp.pathfinder.com>,
Declan McCullagh  <declan at pathfinder.com> wrote:
> The only other journalist who was there made an interesting point, that
> encrypting cell phone traffic only up to the point it hits the phone
> system wouldn't hinder L.E. access but would protect privacy. (Or,
> perhaps, would be worse in the long term since we wouldn't have such
> luscious examples.) 

This is well-known.  GSM does this, for example.  I've seen the point
made in several textbooks.

I don't know of any cellular systems that do end-to-end encryption
(which would stop wiretapping at the landline switch) as opposed to
airlink encryption.  Does anyone else?