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The Wireless Outpost News Issue #11 Vol. 5
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Another (politically incorrect) issue of the Wireless Outpost News. This publication is produced for the soon to be educated cellular phone user community. If you know of anyone else that may have an interest in our publication, make sure to forward them a copy. Don't worry if you miss an issue of our publication, we archive to cellularphonenews.com for your convenience. Now we move forward at Mach II speed!
[Note: This newsletter is delivered Bi Weekly on Wednesday.]
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - I LOVE CELLULAR PHONE NEWS BY KIMBERLY C
It isn't every day that we post letters to the editor, but this one was especially well written and full of compliments too. It is also being posted because Kimberly C. contacted us with a question that points out why it is very important to read each issue of CPN. In this case, a reseller of wireless services was attempting to get her company to sign a longer term contract. The reason? Local Number Portability was going to increase their costs if they didn't sign longer contracts.
Hello there,
I love this publication. It is very informative and at the same time, very funny. As I was reading the newest issue today, I found myself laughing so hard, I began to cry. I oversee all the cellular communications for my company. I always get very good information from CPN when I need it. I have looked at other publications, but none of them can touch CPN. (I did not subscribe to them either, smile) I thought you should know that there is someone else out here that truly looks forward to each issue. I was so upset when I thought they were going to discontinue the newsletter, that would have been a big mistake. I have referred your newsletter to my family and friends, they love it too.
My company is in the process of renewing our cellular contract. The reseller that we have been with for many years is advising us to sign up for two or three years due to the LNP issue. We only wanted to sign for one year, due to the many changes in the wireless industry. The reseller is claiming that the carriers may go up on their
rates as soon as the LNP goes through in November and they will make the end user pay for it. In your last issue, it stated that Verizon was not going to pass the cost on to the users. So why is the reseller trying to get us to commit to a longer term contract? I do not expect you to respond, but I would like some feedback.
P.S. Keep the issues coming. Thanks!!
Kimberly C.
Faithful Subscriber
To her surprise, we did respond as is our policy to respond to subscriber emails. Here was our response to her question.
On to your question. Retailers make a bigger commission depending on the length of the wireless service contract. They are given incentives to stick people with the longest contract possible. As you can see from that previous article, the cost for LNP if any is going to be negligible to the end user. How could it not be if we have already paid for the service?
Therefore, you are not going to realize a substantial savings by signing anything more than a one year contract. You are correct that there are many changes on the way and you won't want to be pinned down to one carrier in the event something comes along that you may find beneficial to your company. If you want to set them straight, tell them that you read Cellular Phone News and they might want to read it too.
Next up! Read about Verizon Wireless' break from the pack. Strangely enough, they are siding with the FCC!
VERIZON WIRELESS GOING PRO CONSUMER AND ADVISING FCC ON LNP ISSUE
This is one for the history books. My mouth fell open for so long that I had flies taking coffee breaks on my tongue. That is probably because I fainted and went unconscious from the shock of what I heard. Verizon Wireless has broken from their counterparts in the wireless industry and has sent a notice to the FCC suggesting that they not believe everything they hear from their competitors in the wireless industry regarding local number portability and the associated fees of such a service. Verizon Wireless is becoming a champion for the LNP cause!
Which reminds me, I need to sue Verizon Wireless for causing me to fall from my chair and suffer brain damage as well as mental anguish knowing I ate so many flies when I came too. I probably already had brain damage but I wasn't in the habit of eating flies before that and I can use a little extra income. Anyhow, here is what sent me to powder my wig. Now get this. Verizon Wireless railed against their competitors over what they claimed to be anti-competitive and anti-consumer efforts to delay local number portability.
Verizon Wireless specifically pointed fingers at Alltel, AT&T Wireless, Cingular, Nextel, and Sprint PCS. They filed a briefing with the FCC as the Wireless Communications Group stating that one time porting fees, demands to require customers pay cancellation fees and outstanding balances prior to a number being released to a new carrier, among other things could benefit consumers. Will someone smarter than I am please stand up and tell me how that is the case?
Verizon Wireless has stepped in and asked the FCC to take action by September 1st, 2003, which forbids the other wireless carriers to
set up obstacles to LNP and hold wireless subscribers hostage. From what we read, it appeared as if this Wireless Communications Group was trying to blackmail the FCC into changing the date for LNP implementation or they would have been forced to implement these restrictions under the current deadline.
Take note that T Mobile USA was not among those named. Let's get on to the FCC and their continuing battle on the pro consumer front. FCC Chairman Michael Powell appeared on CBS ( I know probably the one network with the smallest audience
reach -- try Fox News, Mr. Chairman.) with a consumer advisory about the e911 emergency service for wireless subscribers. He pointed out that some wireless carriers have invested more than others in implementing e911 service.
He goes on to suggest the wireless subscribers who are shopping for service ask whether the carrier has implemented e911 service in their area and whether the phone you are purchasing works for e911 service. He went on to urge local and state governments to stop raiding e911 funds which are charged to consumers
on their monthly bills in the form of a surcharge. Not only that, you will have to be sure that your local and state officials are working on deploying e911 service.
How do you know? You ask a few questions. First, ask the wireless carrier if they received a request from a local public safety official to deploy e911 services in your area, what is the status of the e911 deployment in your area, again,
whether your phone works for e911 service, and what other phones work for e911. Then you can ask your state legislators and public safety officials the
following: is your local 911 call center ready for e911 service, if not what is the plan for making the necessary upgrades, and last, is the e911 surcharge on your wireless bill being used for e911.
As we mentioned in a recent article, Tennessee is on the list of being blocked from federal funding for raiding the e911 service fund. In total, about three billion dollars has been collected by states for the deployment of e911 services. Out of that, about 300 million dollars has been raided by a dozen different states to cover deficits in other parts of their budgets. Other states include California, Oregon, Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Washington.
Verizon Wireless also attacked the Baby Bells such as BellSouth for trying to profit on e911 service by charging a fee for each emergency call from a wireless phone. SBC Communication and Qwest are also seeking a similar type of fee. Several of the Baby Bells have suspended work on the e911 deployment until they are given permission to recover their costs for the deployment of emergency calls placed by wireless phones.
It should come as no surprise then that public safety will be held hostage to profit. I don't know about what you, our readers,
think, but I would have to assume that you are getting as tired of the corporate greed and politician pork barrel spending as I am. It has already cost us, the public, far too much, and I am not willing to put out more so that somebody can renew their lease on the latest model of Mercedes or so some politician can get a hook-up with a cushy job if he or she isn't re-elected.
Enough is enough, is it not? Do yourself a favor and pass this article along to as many people as you have a desire to. We simply can't stand back and allow the FCC and Verizon Wireless to fight all of our battles. At some point, we have to jump into the fray and do our part for what is going to benefit us the most. If not for yourself, do it for a significant other, your parents, your children, and all those others that you love. All you have to do is read the stories about people who have died because e911 wasn't a part of their wireless service. If it had been, they would still be here today. Do it for those you love.
ARE YOU INDULGING IN UNPROTECTED WIRELESS? BY IAN KILPATRICK
Ok. This one came out of the UK. At first, we started to read through it with curiosity, but the more we read, the more we were hooked. Why? Because we started thinking about the hottest new topic on the wireless
front: Wi Fi services being touted by just about everyone under the sun. So we are posting this article to give you a little food for thought. It was something to give us pause and it should you too. Check this out.
Wireless PCs and wireless laptops are being increasingly used in both business and the home. The reason for this marked trend is that wireless computers are easy to deploy, cheap and are usually simpler to manage than standard wired connections. In the business world, smaller companies with two to two hundred and fifty users, find that wireless computing frees them from the conventional restrictions of cabling. Once a wireless device has been installed, new PCs or laptops can be added without the hassle of wiring them in.
Employees can still connect to the Internet, send and receive emails, and do all tasks they need to do. Moreover, they can do all this with greatly increased mobility. It's a very attractive proposition. For enterprises, wireless provides laptop users with convenience and mobility. They can use their wireless laptops in the office (often without the knowledge of management), from home, and of course when they're on the move. When they're out of the office, executives can work from one of the many wireless 'hot spots' springing up in places such as Starbucks or hotel chains.
For home users, wireless laptops let you connect to the Internet, without being physically tied to a connection point. More than one user can easily connect up from different locations in the house and you can have privacy from other family members when you need it. And, of course, you can easily connect to the office.
Unprotected wireless
Unfortunately, in the enthusiasm with which people have adopted wireless, the question of security has been seriously overlooked. There is a standard for security over wireless which is WEP 802.11b (Wireless Equivalent Privacy). However, this standard is both flawed and weak, being ineffective and easily broken. It is also rarely implemented. This is because it is easier to set up wireless with the security not enabled. Once the wireless system is working, the security tends to remain switched off. This has been confirmed by recent surveys in London which showed that 67% of sites surveyed using wireless did not have security enabled. The same problem potentially exists with the new security standard WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). The default set-up configuration is again with the security not operating.
Some might ask what difference WEP's insecurity or the absence of any security at all makes. The answer is 'A lot more than you might think'. The whole concept of wireless is about broadcasting, which means that the information doesn't just go to the wireless connection but is also available to anyone within broadcasting range.
Sadly, while you may believe that your near neighbors or neighboring offices may have neither the will, interest nor technology skills to be interested in your wireless activity, that doesn't mean you are secure. There are a whole range of individuals and groups who have a deep and not always savory interest in unprotected wireless users.
Some groups have a very active but essentially harmless interest in unprotected wireless, being concerned mainly with finding and identifying wireless sites. You've probably heard about some of these in the press. Their activities have a name. 'War driving' is driving around looking for locations where wireless is being used and is not secured. It has many web sites devoted to it such as
http://www.wardriving.com/. 'Warchalking' is marking up street locations with special symbols to identify wireless locations. Again, many web sites are devoted to it (e.g.
http://www.warchalking.org/ ). There are even details online of where to find unprotected wireless sites in UK towns and cities.
As your wireless device broadcasts its address (SSID), it is extremely easy for anyone to do this - it can even be done with a PDA. If you're currently indulging in unprotected wireless broadcasting, it is quite possible that you're already on one or more list. In addition to these groups, there are those with a far from innocent interest in your wireless broadcasts.
But there's not much at risk
Unfortunately, this is totally wrong, even if all you ever do with your wireless PC is access harmless web sites from home. It's not just what you broadcast that's at risk, but everything else on your PC or laptop. So information such as passwords, bank details and any other personal data which you wouldn't want other people to know, are all accessible, as is any information on your wireless servers
And very worryingly, if your connection is used for illegal activity such as accessing illegal images on the Internet, you or your business could be held responsible, even if you have no idea who actually did it. This is because the activity will have been carried out from your address, using your connection. If you have staff at work to whom you have provided wireless access, or more commonly who have provided themselves with wireless access from their laptops, the odds are that they haven't even enabled the weak, cursory WEP 'security' encryption.
As they are operating outside the normal company network and its protective measures, they are therefore not only broadcasting any information they are handling, but have opened up your network to anyone else who cares to look. An obviously serious security weakness, negating all the effort you have put into making your systems secure. Unprotected wireless use exposes companies and individuals to a wide range of security problems. These range from unauthorized use of your bandwidth through to the theft of confidential personal and company information held on your laptop, illegal use of your connections, and in the
worst cases, industrial espionage and fraud.
The Csi/FBI survey of 2003 shows once again that there are significant levels of hacking, system penetration, eavesdropping, sabotage, theft of proprietary information and insider abuse of
companies' computer systems. Wireless looks like a very easy way to carry out many of these activities, given the ease of access and the low likelihood of detection.
Protecting yourself
With all of these risks and so few people protected against them, it would seem that wireless protection is either desperately expensive or incredibly difficult. However, this is not the case. For normal landline communications, most companies today use encrypted VPNs (virtual private networks), most commonly to the IPSec standard. These are used to protect communications between two points, usually between a head office and branch office, suppliers or home workers. One solution to the inherent insecurity of wireless is to use IPSec encrypted VPNs for communications between the wireless user and the wireless access point (or company network).
Encrypted VPNs will create a secure connection between the wireless user and the VPN gateway of the company. This connection now hides your communications. The data on your PC is protected from prying eyes because the communication route for it is through the VPN. This method therefore not only protects and encrypts your wireless activity, but also prevents unauthorized wireless access to your PC or business servers by requiring authenticated VPNs for all wireless use.
If you are communicating with a supplier, customer or indeed head office, you have not only protected confidential data, you have also prevented your connections from being used to compromise their security. Installing and implementing VPNs is more complex than using unprotected wireless, but is not beyond the skill set of PC literate individuals who need the benefits of protection. If you're looking to implement wireless VPNs, prime features you need to look for are
- ease of installation and use
- compliance with standards
(802.11b is the one currently in widest circulation)
-capability to use a VPN
(This latter feature is not as obvious as it sounds, because some "secure" wireless units have firewall functions but do not support VPNs).
Products such as the WatchGuard SOHO 6tc wireless (http://www.watchguard.com/
) support VPNs and also provide firewall functionality. Solutions of this nature are available from the low hundreds of pounds and can be deployed in home offices, small offices and wireless nodes in large enterprises. While there is a small performance impact through using VPNs, the increase in security is significant.
Safe rather than sorry
Wireless provides many benefits to business users, which include low cost, greater mobility and being able to alter desk layouts with the minimum of hassle. These benefits mean wireless is spreading rapidly. However, security breaches occurring through wireless use are also increasing, with consequent high costs. It is both inexpensive and comparatively easy to secure yourself against broadcasting your secrets to anyone who is interested. The latest generation of wireless defense solutions means there is no longer any reason to participate in unprotected wireless.
==END==
Ian Kilpatrick is chairman of Wick Hill Group, a company specializing in secure infrastructure solutions for
e-business. http://www.wickhill.com/
CHINA BREAKS OUT SECOND WRISTWATCH WIRELESS PHONE; PLUS COMPILATIONS
Here it is, another compilation of short briefs on events happening in the industry. These are the items that either don't have enough information to warrant a full article or we were simply too lazy to research it in further detail. Probably more of the former than the latter though. We WORK really hard on this publication and devote more time
to this publication that we do on eating or sleeping. If you want a good diet to lose weight, try writing this publication. We don't even have the luxury of eating paper.
Now it is onwards and forwards.
A state-run Chinese electronics manufacturer called China Electronics Corporation has introduced a wristwatch cell phone that features a tiny keypad, color screen, clip-on camera and support for CDMA 1xRTT networks. It will be selling for around $1000 per unit. When DoCoMo rolled out their wristwatch phone, it was sold out in 20 minutes. Other manufacturers such as Motorola and Samsung have displayed prototypes but none have been rolled out for public use yet.
We did get to see what the phone looked like and we are going in favor of the Japanese version by DoCoMo as being the more interesting of the two. However, it is a good sign when a second unit has been made available. In a couple of more years, we might just see more of these types of units rolling out. If they do, then everyone has to pitch in and buy me one. Thanks, you are all such generous people.
Verizon Wireless now offers voice-activated dialing. The question is what is the point? You have to dial on your phone in order to activate the voice dialing. I may as well use my phonebook menu. Now that I think on that for a second, I guess it would be a good service to have if you have tons of phone numbers stored on your phone. I only have my wife and my dog in my phone book and the dog's phone number was disconnected for non-payment. Maybe I had better practice what I preach and get a life too. By the way, Verizon Wireless customer service gets an A+ in my book. Very professional and extremely helpful from the time I signed up with them until now.
I haven't had Verizon Wireless but for just under a year now and so far I am quite impressed with everything about their service from the coverage to the customer service. That is more than I can say for the three previous wireless carriers I had to deal with before Verizon Wireless. An even better reason for me to continue my service contract with them? Because they hire Americans for their call center and IT jobs. Sounds like a plan to me.
Nextel Communications is suing Verizon Wireless over the use of "Push To Talk" as a intellectual property or something like that. Verizon is disputing the claim as stating that it is standard jargon used by the military for decades and is considered a generic description. We will have to wait and see how that one plays out but Verizon is right about it being used as generic jargon that includes the use of walkie-talkies.
The cellular phone cancer suit that was tossed out against Motorola has recently been submitted to the 4th US circuit court of appeals. The appeals court also has a number of class action suits sitting before it where the claims state that the wireless industry should have given consumers a headset to be used with the phones to reduce any risks of biological injury from wireless phone use.
The cost to taxpayers for these cases is starting to become enormous. US District Judge Catherine Blake of Baltimore has another nine cases pending before her awaiting a response. The plaintiffs have requested that Judge Blake send the cases back to state court. In total,
there are around fifteen different class action suits pending review in courts. With each and every filing or appeal forcing taxpayers to shell out the money to pay for them. That applies to the thousands of frivolous prison inmate lawsuits too.
Texas Assistant District Attorney intends to refile criminal charges against the guy who killed two people when his car collided with theirs while
he was using a cellular phone. He was originally charged with criminally negligent homicide. The original case was allegedly dismissed and the assistant DA hopes to
re-indict the defendant with adding a new charge. The defendant's attorney plans to introduce evidence that the intersection of the accident is dangerous.
Sprint PCS actually came out with a new ring tone service with an agreement through Sony Music Group. Sprint PCS Vision subscribers will be able to download
ring tones that use standard and the more common names. When the phone rings, instead of the ringing sound, the wireless subscriber will hear their name being called out a couple of times with the phone asking for that person to pick up their cellular phone.
Nokia has pulled it off again! Nokia has come out with a 3.5 ounce cellular phone. The Nokia 3100 will be a tri-band phone and only 4 inches long. It will have a 4-way rocker control and optional covers in yellow, lilac, pink and pop blue. Other options include the Nokia Fun Camera with a built-in flash and enough memory to hold up to 50 images. The Nokia FM Radio Headset turns the cell phone into a hands-free FM radio. Expect it to roll out in the 4th quarter.
Some of you may recall when we mentioned a lawsuit against wireless carriers where it was claimed that each one of them
is blocking entry into the handset market by smaller handset manufacturers. US District Judge Denise Cote has approved the lawsuit for going forward with the plaintiffs providing sufficient evidence for the case to be granted a court hearing. If the lawsuit case wins in favor the defendants, wireless carriers will no longer be able to lock wireless phones to their systems and prevent activations of cellular phones manufactured by smaller handset manufacturers.
WIRELESS HUMOR PROVIDED BY CHICAGO LOGIC - A MUST SEE
This has got to be one of the more clever websites I have yet to see on the use of wireless phones. The humor
is based on a fictional page from a newspaper which describes different people's perspective on the product offered by
Chicago Logic. All I can say is that you shouldn't read the jokes at work unless you want people wondering why you are giggling, you little gigglers.
(See also this QWERTY
history page.) On top of that, they have this unique test available on their website to test your typing skills as if you were using a cellular phone with three different types of keypad layouts and one of them includes their keypad layout. One for Americans and one for Europeans.
Chicago Logic announces Delta II, a 5-button wide, single-hand operation keypad matrix that needs no learning because it utilizes the user's PC (QWERTY) keyboard typing experience. Dana Suess, founder of Chicago Logic and designer of the Delta II keypad states, "No matter how you prop up the current 12-button cell phone keypad with software, or rearrange the buttons into lines or circles, it is fundamentally limited as a text entry device."
QWERTY too wide
"If you are going to type fast, you need at least 26 buttons, a button for each letter."
Ideally, cell phone designers could use the well-known QWERTY keyboard layout for cell phone keypads, except that a QWERTY keypad requires 10 buttons across the top row. This unfortunately
results either in a keypad with tiny buttons that are crowded too close together to isolate and press rapidly, or a keypad that is too wide for single-hand operation.
Alphabetic too slow
Without the 10-button wide QWERTY layout as an option, keypad designers have resorted to alphabetical arrangements of buttons - for example: A B C D E in the first row, F G H I J in the second row, and so on.
While obvious, alphabetical layouts are not ideal.
In his book, "The Design of Everyday Things", well-known user-interface designer Donald A. Norman states: "Even though several experiments show that these are of no use to novices and detrimental to experts, every year designers plunge ahead and foist another alphabetical keyboard on us."
Norman concludes, "Moral: Don't bother with alphabetical keyboards."
Suess goes on to explain, "The reason alphabetical keyboard arrangements don't work well is because most of us start out typing on the QWERTY (PC) keyboard layout. This basically ruins us for other layouts because it is difficult to 'unlearn' something. Our instincts and reflexes tend to favor our initial training. This has been observed in disciplines such as skydiving and military training, where performing the appropriate action quickly, the first time and every time, is important."
A PC (QWERTY) keyboard user who types on an alphabetically ordered keypad, instinctively looks and reaches for the upper left corner of the keypad to type the letter '"Q", even though on an alphabetically ordered keypad, the letter "Q" is somewhere near the bottom.
This action is caused by a reflex known as "motor memory", which in this case, propels the
user's fingers and eyes to where they first learned the letter "Q" was located. On alphabetical keypads, this causes the user to "stall" when looking for the next letter to type, degrading the average
user's typing speed to less than half that of the QWERTY layout. Even with substantial practice, the stalling problem with alphabetical keypads does not go away.
Delta II to the rescue
The Delta II layout solves both of these problems by keeping every letter in proximity to where it exists on a QWERTY keyboard, but in a 5-button wide, single-hand operation keypad. Users instantly type twice as fast on a Delta II layout as compared to a 26-button, alphabetically ordered keypad and four times faster than the current 12-button cell phone keypad. Testing shows mastering the Delta II keypad takes minutes instead of months and transitions back and forth between using PC keyboards and Delta II keypads are smooth.
YOUTH WIRELESS MARKET APPEARS TO BE LAST FRONTIER FOR GROWTH
A recent study by Mobile Youth indicates that there are no more than 400,000 children in the UK under the age of 10 who own a cellular phone. Only three years ago, that number was at 80,000. It is anticipated that this number will rise to over the half million mark by the end of next year. Those in favor of the cellular phone cancer theory have met the report with a great deal of concern. However, parents are looking at more realistic threats instead of possible hazards and give their children the cellular phones for security and safety reasons.
With cellular phone use about to hit its 20th anniversary, there are still no conclusive studies that have been scientifically accepted on the test methods used which directly link cellular phone use to cancer or other biological damages. Sounds like cellular phone cancer is about to join the ranks of the urban myths. Another report was recently released on the US Market.
With overall consumer subscriber growth expected to dwindle from 7.6% in 2003 to 0.3% by 2007, many U.S. carriers are actively pursuing the youth and young adult markets as the next frontier for growth in wireless services. According to a new study by IDC, carriers will have to adopt unconventional business models and marketing approaches to capture this elusive market.
"The quest for the youth market is like chasing a storm -- the rewards are gratifying and the pursuit is challenging, but the whole proposition can be risky business if not executed well," said Dana Thorat, senior research analyst, Wireless and Mobile Communications. "While the prospects for increased wireless adoption from both these segments is favorable, the youth market shows the most potential for growth over the next five years."
IDC estimates that only 28% of consumers ages 10 to 19 are currently wireless users with their own devices. However, this segment will increasingly think "mobile" in their communications methods, media channels, and brand choices, and they will be prime targets for new wireless services and applications. Additionally, the role of youth in wireless services will be much more than just discretionary spending and the sum of money in their pockets. This communications intensive market is very tech-savvy and has the uncanny ability to diffuse new services and technologies to the mass market through viral and peer-to-peer marketing.
Although the allure of the U.S. youth market has most recently inspired new wireless brands, services, and carrier marketing campaigns, efforts thus far to woo these fickle users are really still grassroots. IDC believes that attracting this market will require more avant-garde approaches, such as those being implemented by service providers Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile. These companies are demonstrating that new business models, differentiated services, strong youth brands, clever marketing, and some rather risky approaches are required to appeal to youths' appetites for fun, impulsiveness, brand affiliations, communications, and community membership and interactivity.
THE SOCIETY OF MUTANT TELEPATHS CONCURS WITH CPN THEORY ON WIRELESS
It took us a while, but we were finally able to get in touch with the President of the Society of Mutant Telepaths and request an interview for the purposes of their thoughts on wireless phones. Their offices are located on a small little island just off of Maui and we have agreed not to disclose their location in this article. As it turns out, not only are they subscribers to our publication, but they also endorse it. It seems they liked our slogan, "If you don't have ESP, wireless phones are the next best thing."
Anyhow, we asked them about their use of wireless phones and what they thought about them as telepaths. Surprisingly, even telepaths use cellular phones and consider them a necessary tool in their communication with one another. "Look, telepathy is almost like using a wireless phone, sometimes you get dropped calls and sometimes you just can't connect. Maybe it is just chemistry. Whatever the reason, we have found that wireless phones (when used on the mainland) are more reliable than our telepathic powers," said Mr. Cullen.
We supposed that the reliability factor had to do with interference from people's thoughts in a crowded environment. Which to us would have explained the remote locations of their offices. "Are you kidding, we don't live out here because of interference, we live here because we won't have to listen to untalented so called artists claim to be musicians because they got their rap song on the radio. Real artists can carry a tune, rapping out rhymes doesn't cut it as real music or talent."
Interesting thoughts. So I asked them what I was thinking just to see if they were real telepaths. "Dude, you are disgusting. If you don't want to let some beggar without a cell phone use yours, just say no. Just like to drugs. Sticking it under your armpit and then offering it to them to use is not what I call classy or polite. But the fact that they went ahead and used it is even more disgusting." He pegged my thoughts with pure accuracy. I asked if he thought it would be less impolite if I licked my cell phone first and he declined to comment.
My next question had to do with cellular phones and their potential links to cancer. Mr. Cullen said, "Well, unless they switch to radioactive battery packs, I don't really see the problem with using a cellular phone." When asked if he knew what the proponents of the cellular phone cancer theory were thinking, he declined to give a straight answer. "I am going to plead the 5th on that one. We have to have someone paying the bills around here and those are the people paying our bills right now unless you are going to do it." Ah Ha! The proverbial hush money has been located.
We begged for a profile of those who were proponents of the cellular phone cancer theory also known as "those people who pay their bills" and he relented after about the hundredth time I said pretty please with sugar on top in exchange for me to shut up. He commented that they were usually disgruntled employees who had their research funding cut by the wireless industry, unknown people looking to make a quick name for themselves, or just real greedy people looking to capitalize on people's fears of not living forever.
The interview ended very well with what looks to me as a new found friendship. He said I was the most annoying journalist that he has ever spoken with, that he never again wanted to read my thoughts, and that I should never communicate with him by telephone again and that I should try telepathy instead. I suggested that we try being pen pals until I could get up to par with my telepathy. He agreed and even gave me his personal PO Box in Alaska.
Alas, their bills must not be getting paid on time. I tried to call back the next day because I wanted to see if we could meet up in Alaska and the phone number was disconnected. It has been nearly two
months now and it still isn't turned back on. Get this too. He even suggested that I get a job with the National Enquirer. He said I ought to fit right in with them just fine.
AH HA! DIGITAL PHONES CAN AFFECT PACEMAKERS - THE FDA CAN BLOW OFF
Those of you who have been with us for a while may recall our minor battle with the FDA. Turns out that we were led to believe that our information was incorrect regarding the use of digital phones and pacemakers. A gentleman at the FDA pointed out a potential error in our E-book, however, his superiors were more than rude. They were absolutely obnoxious about the entire situation. At first, I couldn't figure out why. Then I did an archive search and Bingo! I had my answer.
We wrote some less than positive comments about the FDA in previous articles regarding their approach on Cellular Phone Cancer. Probably the only reason why they are subscribed to this publication is to see what else we will write about them. Anyhow, it turns out that digital cellular phones can affect pacemakers after all. A new study published in the Institute of Physics Journal states that digital cellular phones confuse cellular phone signals with the heart's own electrical signals, causing a malfunction.
A biomedical engineer from Italy stated that cellular phones use extremely low frequency signals which can be mistaken for a normal heartbeat. However, Pacemakers which are fitted with a ceramic filter appear not to have a problem with cellular phone signals. It was also suggested that the problem of a stray radio signal causing some type of interference in the pacemaker was rare but if it were to happen, it would be quite dangerous.
Ironically, the team assembled was working at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health of the Food And Drug Administration (FDA). I am quite pleased that they would go through so much trouble to give us the ammunition to turn the tables on them. Seems that these ceramic shields also blocked stray GSM signals from passing through and affecting the pacemaker. Those of you using pacemakers may want to consult with your doctor.
I seriously doubt that we will ever get an apology from the FDA. They were probably hoping we would let this blow over and forget about it. Not happening. But we might if they were to, say, send us an excerpt on pacemakers and cellular phones to add to our
e-book for the public to review. With full credit given to the FDA of course. In that event, we might just let bygones be bygones and applaud them for their efforts at educating the public.
For the time being, they aren't being placed on my Christmas Card list and I have no intention on ever sharing any cheesecake with the higher ups at the FDA. Somebody had better send them a box of tissues to wipe their tears when they hear about my retaliation efforts. That will teach them to pick a fight with Cellular Phone News and Staff. Maybe not but the Post Office isn't going to like losing another
37 cents in revenue when I don't buy that stamp. I think.
VERIZON WIRELESS PTT SERVICE MAY DO BETTER THAN EXPECTED
We think that Verizon Wireless coming out with Push to Talk (PTT) as it is known may do better than expected. In the years that we have been speaking with handset dealers of the secondary market, the one problem that they always had was obtaining Nextel units at a reasonable price for re-circulation back into the market place. Nextel like Sprint PCS did a good job in bringing those units back into their hands to keep a rigid control on circulation. A practice that may now be their undoing to a limited degree.
The advantage to second hand wireless dealer markets is important to wireless carriers and they know it. Companies like Verizon Wireless, Cingular, and T Mobile make it a point to take advantage of this logistical support that saves them money and helps to boost their subscriber base. They do this by allowing for units that are no longer the latest darlings of the consumer buying trends to flow back into the secondary markets. Then you have those that get phones that are brought in for recycling purposes. These units are then collected by various parties and sold to other businesses and finally on to the end user.
Let me add before anyone gets any bright ideas. The secondary market is wrought with peril for the uninitiated and you can lose more money than you dreamed by dealing with unethical second hand wireless dealers who do not test their units, don't really have the stock on hand and in their inventory, have limited financial resources and will do all in their power not to make good on their promises to avoid paying out money, and grade their phones higher than what they should be.
In other words, unless you know who you are dealing with, don't trust them as far as you can throw them. Sometimes, this burden can land at the doorstep of the end user. The consumer can buy a used handset thinking they are getting a good deal only to find that they have been sold a defective unit. However, the end user has less to fear as there is usually (but not always) someone in the chain that has more ethics than their predecessors in the supply line that will put a stop to the process and eat the loss.
Back to the original point. There are only about a half dozen second hand wireless dealers out there worth their salt who are sitting on top of this food chain and have been in business for longer than ten years. It is these companies that make it possible for second hand units to be disbursed throughout the supply lines in the US which eventually leads to the wireless phones being sold to the end user via numerous outlets. We are talking in the thousands as far as the number of outlets.
It is for this reason that Verizon Wireless will be able to expand their subscriber base with PTT subscribers at a much faster rate than normal as time goes on. Most companies that use PTT won't delay setting up a new employee with service knowing that they can pick up a unit at a fraction of the cost. An example would be a construction company who has employees that are constantly dropping phones. Replacing or adding units can be quite costly for them.
For the carrier, the real revenue comes from the wireless service being provided and not so much in the handset itself. The use of a secondary wireless handset supply chain for the logistical benefits would only make sense in that case. This allows the wireless carrier to focus on promoting new products and services while letting the ebb and flow of the secondary market settle itself with supply and demand.
Verizon Wireless has also helped to fuel their growth in another manner although indirectly. They run the advertisements with the Test Man to promote their wireless coverage area. The number one complaint among wireless consumers is network coverage. Where Verizon Wireless will land on that with construction companies is unknown since these types of companies usually work on the fringe of city limits and Nextel appears to be concerned about that fact.
Nextel is now making agreements with other rural area wireless service providers to extend coverage. This is being done to shore up their desirability to their most important PTT customer base, which are the construction companies. Many of whom probably have around 50 wireless units or more in service at any given time. An obstacle that Verizon Wireless may or may not have to overcome. But if they do then they are at least setting the stage in their favor on a number of fronts.
If and when Sprint PCS should roll out with PTT, this could add additional pressure on Nextel. However, we aren't so sure that the Sprint PCS coverage network will be sufficient to attract that large of a crowd. Then again, they may just surprise everyone as they also announced that they were expanding their network infrastructure. Adding to that, Verizon Wireless has also been fairly busy in adding and reviewing wireless network infrastructure.
On a side note, we didn't get the Nextel demographics and other information contained in this article from a second or third party. We conduct our own original research to figure out what is what and who is who. It offers us a higher confidence level in the quality of the research as well as a more detailed understanding. Besides, where else would you have found out about the demographics of PTT users? That is right. Only here at Cellular Phone News!
CELLULAR PHONE TOWER PLACEMENTS CONTINUE TO RAGE ON AND ON
Let me start off by addressing some of the emails that we get from people wanting to know who to contact for placing towers on their land. We are currently working on creating a list of Wireless Tower Companies which we will post to our website. We should have it available either by the time this issue goes out or shortly thereafter. Now on to the issue of wireless tower placements in and around residential areas.
Just like anywhere else, you will have technophobic holdouts. Wireless coverage gaps exist and people are upset about it. The solution? Start putting up towers in residential areas. Some people claim that the location of a site can depress property values, can cause cancer, and/or interferes with radio and television signals. The problem is that none of these objections are really true. Although I am not a real estate agent so I can't speak on property value but I just can't see the association.
As far as health concerns, not proven. In fact the Telecommunications Act of 1996 prevents cities from restricting or prohibiting the placement of wireless towers based on health concerns. What cities can do is restrict the height of a tower and have the tower disguised. I think it has something to do with keeping in line with the democratic ideology. The majority wins in this case because more people than not are wireless phone users.
Radio and TV signals. Different RF frequencies from Wireless. Nor have we heard of or found anyone who has provided a study to show that the RF signals are mixing. That isn't to say that it might not happen, only that we haven't read anything to confirm that objection. From the wireless
carriers' perspective, it is a catch 22 situation. They need to close the coverage gaps and yet they must suffer ill will from those who are forced to live within sight of the wireless towers.
LA is packed with so many wireless towers that the city planner's office only gets a couple of requests for new wireless tower sites each month. That is compared to about 20 only a few years a ago. As far
as placing a wireless tower in a residential neighborhood, the site will still have to go through an environmental review process before the site selection could be approved. In a commercial district, that review process is eliminated as unnecessary.
A non-profit organization called Scenic America assists communities who wish to prevent the placement of a wireless phone tower. You can read their suggestions by following this link:
http://www.scenic.org/growthstrat6.htm
However, it appears as if there would be some work to be done by diehard activists since cities are not allowed to ban or be perceived as restricting the placement of a cellular phone tower. Most cities only require that a cellular phone tower is disguised and the most common of them is dressing the tower as a pine tree. Although some are made to look like clock towers and other everyday infrastructures.
Another catch 22 situation for local politicians as they will be perceived as anti-community or anti-consumer. The public vs. the government and corporate entities. I tell you, those Romans sure knew how to make a messy and interesting society didn't they? They passed it on to the British and they passed it on to America. It is too bad that we haven't learned from their mistakes. Some politicians are just too stupid to figure it out.
By the way, by the time you get this issue of the publication, we will have added a new
web page which lists the different cellular phone towers, their contact information, as well as the geographic locations they cover for wireless tower
placement. Those of you who want to have towers placed on your land should contact them directly. We have nothing to do with that type of service and have compiled and posted this information for your benefit. To the right side of the main page is a link to Wireless Tower Locations for those of you who are interested. This link will be placed on the
Wireless Tower Company page for your convenience as well.
AFFILIATES OF SPRINT PCS FILE LAWSUITS FOR CAUSING BANKRUPTCY
Cingular, T Mobile USA, and now Sprint PCS are facing the wrath of wireless retail dealers. We haven't heard of any lawsuits being pursued against AT&T Wireless, Nextel, or Verizon Wireless. At least not on this scale and not for the reasons that the previous three wireless carriers mentioned here have been chased after for compensation by dealers. Sprint PCS affiliates are more than just dealers though. They invested their own money into helping Sprint PCS establish their network.
iPCS, Horizon PCS and US Unwired are the three Sprint PCS affiliates that we know of so far who have filed lawsuits against Sprint PCS. Horizon PCS and US Unwired have actually filed their lawsuits under
the civil provisions of RICO or Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The charges include everything from fraud, negligent misrepresentation and breach of contract to breach of fiduciary duties.
In one case, the judge approved the ability of creditors of the affiliate to sue Sprint PCS directly for payment. All three of them have accused Sprint PCS of trying to take over the affiliate operations. The lawsuit also alleges that Sprint PCS affiliates financed nearly $3 Billion dollars worth of infrastructure for the Sprint PCS network. Horizon PCS claims to have invested at least $300 million of their own money into those efforts.
Now, we can't confirm this as fact but what we have heard is that Sprint PCS was taking over back end operations such as the billing, increased their take of the revenue from 30% to 50%, and were taking their time in disbursing payment to their affiliates. It appears as if most if not all of the Sprint PCS affiliates are up to their eyeballs in debt with no ground being gained towards profitability.
Of course, Sprint PCS claims that there is no merit to the lawsuits and that the affiliates are trying to shift the blame to Sprint PCS for their financial difficulties. However, I find that hard to believe with three affiliates now making this claim and a judge allowing creditors of one affiliates to sue Sprint PCS directly. That sounds to me like there may be more merit to it than we are being led to believe. Actions
speak louder than words and the actions that I have read about seem to indicate that these lawsuits are not frivolous in nature.
Further, it appears as if the Sprint PCS affiliates also sought financial assistance from Sprint PCS in the form of loans is our understanding, in order to stabilize their situation. Sprint PCS refused to assist their affiliates which led to their filing for bankruptcy. Now that action by Sprint PCS strikes me as being quite odd with knowing that it would impact on their new subscriber numbers. Maybe there is more here than meets the eye.
But words like "heavy handed" and "illegal" were words being tossed around by affiliates to describe the actions by Sprint PCS. He we were thinking that PCS stood for Poor Cashflow Sucks. Looks like we might have been on target with our definition of the acronym. It could mean something else, but for the moment, that seems to be the most appropriate one. So we shall leave it at that and see what the courts have to say about the future cashflow of Sprint PCS.
EDITORIAL MAYHEM, COMMENTS, OPINIONS, AND MORE ON INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
Some people may read this article and say what has this to do with wireless. Well, lots actually. We have the Iraqi reconstruction projects, wireless jobs being outsourced overseas, and contrary to
popular belief, the US just isn't the only country in the world. These articles are meant more for eye openers so you can see for
yourself the big picture of how you, friends, and family are being impacted by global effects that affect you right here at home.
Let's start with the Iraqi Reconstruction project. Can you believe that countries that had nothing to do with the liberation of Iraq, never had a single soldier die in the liberation of Iraq, and have done nothing for the benefit of Iraq are screaming for UN approval prior to sending any support troops just so they can get their hands in the Iraqi reconstruction coffers? Now when the US Coalition had everything set, who stabbed us in the back? India. The country that is making big bucks off the American economy. American companies obviously find this to be an acceptable sacrifice because they don't have the backbone to stand up and be counted and their greed obviously surpasses their patriotism.
Here are the countries who have already sent troops to Iraq to assist the US coalition forces. Albania, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine. Many of these are eastern European or Iron Curtain countries that are still recovering from the days of communist rule. Need to outsource some work, try sending it to the allies of the US instead of backstabbers like India. I would also think our allies in Europe would also know how to implement a GSM wireless system that would work well in Iraq.
I should add that I am not advocating taking a projectionist stance in the US as is the case with some countries in Europe. Merely that we share the wealth with our allies rather than giving it to fools that bite the
hand that feeds them. When these people want to put Americans at risk, they should feel the repercussions as should those who support them from America. Quite frankly, I am tired of the lame excuses being tossed about by greed mongering corporations and dissident countries as to why they won't or can't do this and that.
You can only feed people fly splatter for so long before you end up wearing it.
This boycott of American products is also pretty funny. They are boycotting fast food chains like KFC and Burger King as well as Pepsi and Coke. None of which is made in the US if it is being sold overseas. Which means investors may or may not lose a couple of bucks on their share price. We have how many choices of fast food restaurants here in the US and how many hundreds of different kinds of soft drinks? Yet they claim it is having an effect on the American economy. Be still my heart for my laughter may echo forever. These so-called boycotts of American products might just speed up our economic recovery.
To our readers, why not sound off and tell us what you think. Don't be chickens by thinking we might give you bad publicity. If you want to blast us and it is well written, we will give you kudos for that. Those that aren't, simply get trashed after we read them. Nothing to it. We read every email you send in to us so don't be shy about it. Send me a piece of New York Cheesecake (post black-out please) and I may be persuaded to write something nice too. Two pieces will guarantee it.
Allow me to add that we make no effort to be politically correct in this publication. If we should fall to the left or the right of the spectrum, so be it. The bottom line is that we cannot be bought, coerced, or intimidated with shakedowns into being politically correct. We will tell it the way we see it, each and every time. Should that offend the sensitivities of your ideological, sociological, religious, national, or cultural identities then we suggest you save yourself some pain and don't read this publication.
In fact try reading "Custer Died for Your Sins - An Indian Manifesto" written by Vine Deloria Jr., a Sioux Indian and published in 1969. You will then know why the
Indians were laughing at President Clinton when he claimed to be Cherokee on his grandmother's side of the family tree. That book will sting 99% of the people, black and white who claim a Native American ancestry. Read it and then ask someone if they have American Indian ancestry and wait for their response. You will split your sides with laughter.
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