| The trade off is not favorable. Often have I heard of officers looking for
a specific vehicle traveling through the state as a wanted individual and
in one instance I did come across that vehicle in my travels. I was able to
contact 911 with my cellular phone to notify police of the sighting.
Scanners can and do help local officials by their users providing
information that can assist their pursuits. |
| GLOBAL WIRELESS GROUPS MOVE TO EASE TRAVEL CALLING FOR USERS
Issue: Wireless
The two largest wireless telephone consortiums, GSM Association and the
Universal Wireless Communications (UWCC), have agreed on an international
pact that eventually could allow about 290 million cellular phone
subscribers to use their phones almost anywhere they travel. The consortiums
represent two of the three incompatible digital-wireless standards used in
the U.S. Members of the GSM Association use the global standard for mobile
communications (GSM), which is the single standard in Europe and has an
estimated 220 million cellular customers worldwide. The UWCC represents
companies such as AT&T that use the time division multiple access standard
(TDMA) and those operators serve about 70 million users. The third standard
in wireless, code division multiple access (CDMA), is used by companies such
as Sprint and has 35 million users worldwide -- but is not part of the pact.
This new pact will allow customers. |
| As to the privacy issue pertaining to cordless phone and cellular phone
monitoring it is unfortunate that those frequencies fall into multi purpose
bands. Industry has already responded by marketing digital cellular phones
along with numerous models of digital security in 900MHZ cordless phones.
Products are available for consumers to purchase should they have concern
about privacy at near equal pricing to non secure conventional cordless
phones. Consumers do have a choice. |
| In Thailand cars are usually squeaky clean. People typically overdress
for most occasions and put as much effort into their personal
appearance as their wallets will allow them. Making a good appearance
often means displaying wealth. It is very important to be seen talking
on the latest model cellular phone or driving a nice Mercedes (even
though they are more than likely bought on credit). Expensive
clothing, displays of gold and designer labels all contribute to a
polite image. |
| The Wireless Technology Group says studies show that in some cases cellular
phones placed near the chest can cause pacemakers to recalibrate themselves
or stop and restart. The advisory group warns that new digital pocket
phones are of particular concern -- especially since their numbers are
likely to proliferate once personal communications services are widespread.
No such effects from the older analog cellular phones have been observed. A
spokesman for Medtronic, a pacemaker supplier, says the company is advising
patients with pacemakers to turn off their portable phones when the phone is
in a shirt pocket, to hold the phone 10 to 12 inches from the chest when
using it, and to hold the phone to the ear opposite the side where the
pacemakers implanted. (*Wall Street Journal*, 28 Apr 1995, p. B1) |
