Are you convinced these disposable phones weren't being purchased to be used as bomb detonators, or to avoid surveillance?
Posted on 09/11/2006 7:24:23 AM PDT by RS
COLUMBUS, Ohio – People moving state to state, armed with cash and tricks to avoid scrutiny, are buying cheap prepaid mobile phones by the thousands with plans to sell them in Latin America and Hong Kong.
Cell phone companies say the practice is costing them millions of dollars, and some have hired private investigators to document what they say is illegal tampering with their phones.
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After receiving the phones from the buyers, often in bulk shipments, the middlemen deactivate a software lock on the devices so they can be used on other cellular services. The phones are then repackaged and shipped to their next destination, records show.
(Excerpt) Read more at signonsandiego.com ...
Thought the follow-up might interest you
It is that lock deactivation.
Here is the deal folks. Your ATT phone would work on T-Mobile. HOWEVER ATT puts a lock code on it so it will only work on ATT.
What YOU the consumer can do is find that lock code, unlock the code and then your phone will work on any compatable company.
If you can switch companies AND keep your phone then they have no "free phone" way to lock you into an absurd two year contract.
For example this is great if you want to switch simm cards to have one phone for work and then one smaller phone for the dressing up night out.
There are services that will do this for you for as little as 5 dollars, OR some Boards will do it free however I am uncomfortable posting the IME number.
I love Tracfone. Costs me and my wife $90 each per year to have a cell phone with 450 minutes, which is more than enough for our purposes.
They ought to just sell the phones bundled with a year's worth of service. That would solve the arbitrage problem.
Sounds like a problem at the retail level , here come some new laws with very little enforcement .
Are you convinced these disposable phones weren't being purchased to be used as bomb detonators, or to avoid surveillance?
"Are you convinced these disposable phones weren't being purchased to be used as bomb detonators, or to avoid surveillance?"
Yep - The phones would have to be activated on the systems, they were not. Just how many tens of thousands would they need ?
Avoiding surveillance also dosen't call for such massive quantities - just keeping track of who has what number on what day would cause a massive headache.
If you want to avoid surveillance you don't carry 50 phones around, or use middlemen - you buy them yourself one at a time.
There is a LOT of money to be made in the mobile phone business in Asia and India.
My Asian guide told me a person in China with a job had two mobile phones and kept one of them on 24 hrs a day and the employee was at their employer's disposal any time their phone rang. She also said, unlike Americans, they didn't ever turn their phones off because an employer's missed call could be their last as eight others stood in line to potentially take that job. Employee/employer negotiations on wage and work conditions are practically non-existant in China (and, I presume, is likewise in other densely populated countries). Keeping in touch is crucial, and the CP is the tool of necessity.
Close, but no cigar ... the Prepaid Tracphones have software that prevents you from using an unlock code - they don't want you doing exactly what these guys were doing.
Your cellphone company should have no problem giving you the unlock code for your legit phone - mine didn't. Just tell them you are traveling overseas. Most major airports in Europe have kiosks where you can buy a local prepaid sim card for their system.
Same here. If you want a phone just for emergencies plus the occasional 'pick up some milk' or 'I need directions' call, you can't beat a Tracfone.
I love those Tracfones as well. $10 a month. How can anyone beat that deal? But what sold me was that the minutes will be rolled over so long as the service remains active. My next card is due at the end of October but I have 157 minutes left and I just use it for emergency purposes which is the only reason I really see for these things anyway. 10 minutes come with the phone but when activated over the internet got another 30 for a total of 40 minutes. Adding the additional minutes is a piece of cake.
When my wife's regular cell phone contract runs out, it's bye-bye time to that rip-off. She seldom uses anywhere close to the maximum time allotted. And that's $48 a month. Won't fall into that trap again.
I have the 2126 phone and put in inside an 1100 case and clip it to my shirt pocket and I still can put my reading glasses in there. Great reception and I can use it anywhere.
I've already bought a second one to get my wife up and running as soon as her regular contract runs out.
Hey...wait a minute...we all know men don't ask for directions!!!! ;o)
Absolutely true. I was talking about my wife.
Well, that depends on how many targets they want to hit!
If you want to avoid surveillance you don't carry 50 phones around, or use middlemen - you buy them yourself one at a time.
There you go, using logic again. You sure have a way of putting a damper on my conspiracy theories! Thanks
ROTFLOL
She also said, unlike Americans, they didn't ever turn their phones off
Sounds like my teenagers, although it's NOT job related! ;o)
In America the concept of a franchise area is sacrosanct because it limits competition and keeps profits high - broadcast stations, cable TV, cell phones, on and on...
Americans are like sheep.
BUMP
>>After receiving the phones from the buyers, often in bulk shipments, the middlemen deactivate a software lock on the devices so they can be used on other cellular services. The phones are then repackaged and shipped to their next destination, records show.<<
Sounds like FREE TRADE to me. Isn't that what Bush promotes?
Thanks for posting this. It clears up the mystery.
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