Metaswitch cleared by FBI for spying

[Major Variola (ret)]

At 10:59 AM 4/12/03 -0400, John Kelsey wrote:
 > I keep thinking that the only way we're going to get strong 
encryption on
 >cellphones is to make it something that individuals can do 
themselves.  The
 >cellphone providers have little incentive to do this well.

Actually, the way the cellphone biz has evolved, there are motivations.
Get <big provider> to sell <big handset OEM> phones which,
if you call another of the same,  automatically goes secure. 
If <big provider> requests it of an OEM, it will
happen. <Big provider>'s motivation would be differentiating their
product with something more than blue suade [1] faceplates.  <Big 
providers>
already provide free "walkie-talkie" comms between endpoints inside
their net as a differentiating feature.

The reason it won't happen is that <big providers> are licensed by
the State.

[1] Yes, you will see textiles injection-molded into products soon.

PS: See also "bump in the wire" devices.