Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!spool.mu.edu!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!casbah.acns.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: callaghan@bss.enet.dec.com Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Cordless Phones: Are any 'Secure' From Handset to Base Message-ID: Date: 16 Feb 91 15:50:27 GMT Sender: news@casbah.acns.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 32 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 122, Message 2 of 10 Question: Are there any 'secure' cordless phones?? After reading the recent comparisons/comments/conversations around cordless phones I've not seen much on any models (nor have I found any* vendors) who offer some sort of secure link between handset and base (I.E. scramble, digitized, etc..) Since cordless phones are SO open, and you can bet that someone may be listening, I would consider this a BIG plus that could help a vendor succeed over competitors in the marketspace. Last summer's court case ( {Wall Street Journal} Aug ??) where an individual (while eavesdropping via scanner on a cordless) gained enough info to help get his neighbor arrested/tried for conspiracy (of all things) is definitely enough for me to want to search out at least a cheap sideband addon, or go back to the 500 foot extension cord. Any product suggestions, comments, insights are eagerly requested. [Moderator's Note: Back in my CB radio days many years ago, I used to frustrate the neighbors by talking on sideband rather than AM. They could still hear sounds coming from their television on channel 2 (and indeed, they would say 'it must be Pat on the radio again', but at least they couldn't understand what I was talking about! :) All they got were 'Donald Duck sounds', as any of you radio guys will attest who've heard a sideband transmission while tuned to AM. Too bad the cordless phone manufacturers can't scramble their signal or at least use lower / upper sideband, etc ... that would fix the majority of the snoops, although a dedicated person would tune up the ham rig and listen anyway. PAT]