Position escrow
Geraint Price
Geraint.Price at cl.cam.ac.uk
Thu Apr 23 09:34:55 PDT 1998
> >One interesting, but unlikely possibility is an originate-only phone which
> >pays for calls with cash (e.g. Digicash, or a prepaid phone activation
> >card). Since it can't receive calls, it doesn't need an identity. What
> >would come out of the system is, "Someone in cell X called telephone number
> >Y."
>
> There's already a way to do this: cloning. This is not always done
> just to avoid paying for service. Certain cloners are entirely able
> and willing to pay for cellular service, but they demand anonymity.
>
> Somebody should point out to the carriers that they could get rid of
> much of the incentive to clone phones if they simply offered a
> legit way to remain anonymous.
>
> Phil
This technology already exists in Britain (I don't know about any other
countries), where you can buy a mobile without any subscription information
off the shelf. To use the mobile, you go and purchase a 'token' which allows
you to use the mobile on a pay-per-call basis much the same as a public phone.
I don't know the method of token implementation.
The police have started kicking up a fuss over this technology as they claim
it hinders their investigation into criminal activity, because if they trace a
cellular phone which turns out to be one of this type then they can't pull the
info on the customer to go round knocking on doors.
Geraint
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