What you post makes a lot of sense but incoming callers may be disuaded from ringing a mobile on account of the costs.
Similarly, long outgoing calls will be probitively expensive for me from a mobile.
I'm not familiar with VOIP but could I use VOIP and set up an encrypted link between me and the VOIP provider? Access to a VOIP server seems to me much harder than access to a manhole cover in the street.
I do not disbelieve you.
In part, it's a question of probabilities. For most people the probability (as far as they know it) of getting tapped is close to zero. They might find this discussion sounds bizarre and paranoid.
In my case, the likelihood of this happening has moved from almost zero to maybe, let me guess, 30 percent. That is way too high for my comfort.
But how does anyone function effectively these days without using a phone?
Sorry to be so dumb but this all seems quite complicated to someone like me who has never used VOIP.
Presumably such a setup still allows mew to keep my existing phone number.
Is there perhaps an easier way to do this without having to work with the technology at the sort of level you are writing for?
No.
I have often wandered around "Government surplus" depots and there is usually electronic test gear - old scopes, multimeters that kind of stuff, spare parts for landrovers and small trucks, usually lots of clothing. Tools, picks, shovels, empty ammunition boxes....but nothing quite like that.
See
For a selection.
-- Stuart Winsor From is valid but subject to change without notice if it gets spammed. For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
Possibly because they have already been sold. Try auctions, instead. I have been totally shocked by the stuff that is sold at Government Surplus Auctions. Not to mention what I have found in auctioned-off filing cabinets, that clearly have not been emptied, or checked, prior to disposal.
No, I am not even going to mention what kinds of stuff are disposed of. Use your imagination, or better, go to a few.
-- Sue
Read what I wrote, perhaps?
"...visually inspect whatever bits of your telephone line might be accessible to you."
If they are lawfully tapping your phone, you will never detect it. If they are unlawfully tapping it - then the first place to do is to visually inspect any of your phone line wiring that is accessible, but not in the outside patch box. Any addition to the latter is more likely to be spotted. There is quite possibly a junction box in the building, down in the basement, perhaps. Or in a shared hallway. I'd look there..
-- Sue
Doesn't your government waste money by junking repairable equipment?
-- Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida
In message , Michael A. Terrell writes
Ah, ours is way ahead of yours, we buy non working junk in the first place to save the effort of having to try and repair it later. It's much more efficient that way.
-- Clint Sharp
The UK military went through a huge downsizing and "contracting out" a while ago. They closed all sorts of "interesting" research places and large amounts of kit appeared in auctions, afterwards. Most of it working, much of it even in date for test. Many lots were mis-described or described as "units, various".
Sigh. Such days are rare. Here.
-- Sue
Even if what you suspect is happening, there would be nothing physically attatched to your line so nothing would be found. As a telephone engineer I carry some test gear which as a side effect of it's purpose can pickup modulation over pairs of wires but there has got to be easier ways to do what you think is happening as picking up by induction is very difficult to do clearly.
If you were with BT & could prove there was a real risk of such things happening then they would investigate (chargable of course) but seeing as you are with Virigin all I will is good luck to you...& keep taking the tablets...
Yeh and most of it seems to be bought off the USA >8|
-- Stuart Winsor From is valid but subject to change without notice if it gets spammed. For Barn dances and folk evenings in the Coventry and Warwickshire area See: http://www.barndance.org.uk
: : Doesn't your government waste money by junking : : repairable equipment?
No, they prefer to leave laptops containing everybody's personal details in unattended cars in Birmingham.
Ivor
If someone can pull off a phone tap, then they are probably reading what you write here. If I thought I was being tapped, I would have a phony conversation with a partner about something of interest to the people I thought tapped my line. Then I would look for a reaction to it. For instance, if I thought it was the police, I might arrange a phony dope transaction, complete with packages being exchanged.
You are putting a lot of trust in the cops not to actually "find" some real dope when they arrest you.
If they are really looking at you hard enough to get a legal tap they have other things that constitute "probable cause" for the warrant. If it is an illegal tap, they are by definition rogue cops. Who knows what they will do.
I agree. I can't babysit the whole scenario for this guy though. I would take pains to have an airtight situation. Perhaps some cameras, and / or extra witnesses? A lot of details, but worth it if I truly thought I was being tapped like that. I once had a notion that my ex had somehow bugged my phone. (She's a member of our local PD.) I never did prove it to my satisfaction either way, and I may have been wrong anyway. By the time I formulated a plan, the suspicious incidents had stopped. I still don't trust talking on my phone for certain things.
What you write sounds as if it would normally work but sadly in this case it is not going to be if use.
I have already seen how the other side leaks absolutely nothing.
They observe and they learn and, when the time comes up, they use what they know. But they never say what they know. No bluffs, feigns, intimidations or any of that.
It can be quite scary to observe them in action when it is then clear just how much they knew all along but by then they have made their move.
RIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT.
It depends on who is tapping your line and why.
If its the cops, they may (or may not) take the bait. If its industrial espionage (someone stealing customers, for example), you will have a much more difficult time finding out. It the latter case, their subsequent behavior based on information obtained isn't immediately available to you.
-- Paul Hovnanian paul@hovnanian.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Procrastinators: The leaders for tomorrow.
No, it can't.
Visually inspect lines. Be suspicious of "repairmen" doing things to line. The usual.
There is not much they can do. And probably even less they will do.
The bottom line of all communication services is that basically they are public forums like taking a two page spread in the New York (London) times. People get really lax about thinking their conversations are "private". They think that there are laws that "protect" them. All this is totally false.
Unless you are using "unbreakable encryption" [and this gear is NOT presently available even though easy to build, and even if it were were available it would soon be made illegal by the government] you should ALWAYS consider telephones of ANY type as well as and ESPECIALLY all email and other internet communications as totally public. Put a sign by your phone that says "This line leads to the Times" to remind yourself.
If you have something private to say to someone, go take a nice walk in the woods. And Oh yeah, go naked! Welcome to Big Brother.
Note that thanks (in the Yoo Ess) to Bill Clinton's "crime bill", telephone companies were mandated to supply a plug to government upon which up to 1/3 of ALL CALLS MADE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY can be monitored simultaneously! Dubya has been wallowing in the data thanks to the PATRIOT ACT. The renewal of same is a big issue right now in Congress because telecoms are having a cow over the possibility of being sued for making these mandatory taps for feds. No doubt soon Congress will approve totally warrant-less wiretaps at random for government "fishing expeditions" with total immunity for telecoms and everyone will be happy as clams.
It's your Brave New World. Enjoy it.
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