🚀 go-pugleaf

> Patrick W. P. Dirks writes:
> 
> As other posters have pointed out, monitoring cordless phone links is *NOT*
> illegal in the US.  I believe monitoring cellular phone calls is not
> against the law, either, except that you cannot disclose the contents of
> anything you monitor or use it for your own gain.  Congress recently passed
> a bill that prohibits the sale of scanners that can receive (or be "easily
> modified to receive") the 800 MHz cellular band.  That doesn't make
> listening illegal, however, and doesn't remove existing scanners from the
> market.

You are correct that it is legal to monitor cordless phones in the US.
You may not disclose what you hear or use it for gain, which is true
of most things that you can legally monitor in the US.

However, it is not legal to even monitor cellular phone calls.  The
cellular phone people asked for and received a special rule for
cellular phones.  Older scanners picked up the 800 MHz band.  I've
heard rumors that some newer scanners can be easily modified (by
removing a jumper or something) to again receive the 800 MHz band.

> The real lesson, I'm afraid, is: don't expect *ANY* privacy on cordless or
> cellular phones.  You stand a good chance of being disappointed if you do.

This is of course still true.
--
					Eric Backus
					ericb@lsid.hp.com