Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: brewer@anarky.enet.dec.com (John Brewer)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Bell Cellular to Offer Users Snoop-proof Scramblers
Message-ID: <8963@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 15 Jun 90 01:18:57 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 435, Message 4 of 13


In article <8941@accuvax.nwu.edu>, ndallen@contact.uucp (Nigel Allen)
writes:

>Excerpted from {The Globe and Mail}, Toronto, June 7, 1990

>Bell Cellular has developed a new scrambling service that will allow
>its cellular radio-telephone subscribers to encrypt all their voice
>and data communications.

>The optional service, dubbed Privacy Plus, will be available in
>mid-July and will sell for $89.95 (Canadian) a month.
 
	Why did I guess that this would not be free?
	
	The cell folks seem to have neglected to point out the fact
that even though they pushed the ECPA thru Congress, that ANYONE can
easily listen to cellular phone traffic. Now they want substantial
bucks to make it appear secure.

	Anyone want to make any wagers as to how long it takes for
Radio Electronics to start carrying ads and construction articles on
circumventing this encrption scheme? It may take a little longer, but
I can still remember claims of "secure" satellite encryption schemes,
and the radar detector technology seems to be catching up with
"instant-on" radar traps.

	Wouldn't it be easier to tell the public that the mode of
transmission is not secure?

	IMHO.


|John Brewer    WB5OAU           |      Brewer@ace.enet.dec.com  |
|Digital Equipment Corporation   |	Brewer@cup.portal.com    |
|Albuquerque NM                  |      WB5OAU@KN5D              |