🚀 go-pugleaf

: In <B8a1XB1w165w@msgpad.uucp> gabe@msgpad.uucp (Gabe Helou) writes:

: >I have a couple questions regarding cordless telephones.

: >    What is the likelihood of another phone operating on the same 
: >    channel as yours?  Possible concerns include a) others being able to 
: >    listen in on phone converstions and b) others being able to place 
: >    calls via your phone line.

: If you are going to worry about (a), realize that those who listen
: in will be doing so on equipment other than cordless phones.  Equipment
: of choice includes baby monitors and scanners.

: I would not worry so much about (b).  Most phones (see the recent
: Consumer Reports article) use codes so that it would not be 
: easy for someone else to use your base to dial calls.
: >    
: >    Is is possible to disable the base phone to prevent other handsets 
: >    from dialing out?
: >    
: See (b) above.

: >My parents have just purchased a cordless phone and are concerned about 
: >unauthorized monitoring or use.  This isn't my area of expertise, but I 
: >don't want to blow my image.  Any information about cordless phones 
: >would be appreciated.

: It is covered in my book about phone service -- "The Phone Book",
: by Oppedahl.  Your local library or bookstore should have it.  The
: publisher :) is Consumer Reports.

Some other information of note:  There are 20 frequencies that are used
for cordless telephones.  Since a cordless connection uses two frequencies,
that means a total of ten possible channels which your phone operates on.
Usually, the channel itself will be on the base, probably on the underside.
Or, you may be able to switch channels to find the clearest one...some
phone/base combos let you do this.  The standard frequencies listened to
by people with scanners are the set transmitted by the base units.

So how safe is your phone conversation?  Well, unless your parents purchased
one of the real spendy 'secure' lines which encode everything, not safe at
all.  At least, not if you want to talk about anything confidential.  For
all you know, your neighbor is hanging on every word you say.  And doing it
quite legally, in fact, since the radio waves are public.  On the other
hand, there is your concern about someone dialing out.  In general, don't
worry about that at all.  Unless the phone is among the first cordless
phones, it has a security code set on both the base and the handset, usually
accessible by opening the battery pack and flipping miniature switches.
These switches control a signal sent out by the handset which must match
the base in order to activate the connection.  Unless someone knows your
combo and has the same brand of phone, chances are unlikely that they will
be able to use your phone.