🚀 go-pugleaf

>>>> : It is a fact that Telstra had a software development project in
>>>> : progress in early 1995, who's aim is to monitor and log phone connections
>>>> : through their exchanges, to determine:-
>>>> :   a) Which calls are voice, and which are modem.
>>>> :   b) If modem, what baud rate and protocol.
>>>> :   c) Given (b), to determine whether the link is using encryption.
>>>> :   d) Lastly, given a positive (c), to attempt to analyse what _sort_
>>>> :      of encryption it is.

>>>My guess is so that they can time-charge modems, but without 
>>>time-charging voice. This means that they can get more revenue, without 
>>>risking the political firestorm that timed local calls would bring.

>>It would be unreliable to put in an automatic time-charging for modems;
>>how can they reliably tell the difference on a per-call basis?

I would go looking for constant energy from both directions.

I'm more intrigued by the legal aspects of Telstra undertaking such a project.
Telstra have had their hand slapped a couple of times for listening to peoples
lines where it was disputed whether it was for testing and diagnostic, so a
widespread analysis of what you are doing with your call is certainly heading
for a grey area. Imagine if Australia Post decided to open all you envelopes
to determine if you were privately sending particular types of items. As for
the aim of time-charging modem calls, would they be able to introduce a new
tariff structure for that service? I thought the government protected the
pricing of the domestic phone service.

Greg