“ ALL phone traffic is digitized, again with the exception of the ‘last mile’.”
Correct. And it’s the last mile that’s the easiest to hack into. A couple of alligator clips a bit of wire and a telephone handset and I’m listening to your conversation. Easy peasy. It’s not unlike installing an extension in your house.
So not only can you hack into a landline phone conversation remotely once it’s been digitized, you can do it locally with very primitive technology. In addition, since the land line is stationary, you always know where the connection is located, unlike cellular which can hop from tower to tower across the world.
Whenever I see someone “working on the line” in a box next to the street. I am reminded of the last mile “security” gap. I always check their vehicle to see if it looks remotely legit.
I can place a cell phone call to you while sitting at my computer and the only way it can be detected is at the central office or on your end.
I have fiber into my office and my phone defaults to voice over WIFI when I'm at home. I should also note that voice traffic is routinely encrypted for transmission only. This effectively prevents a non-governmental entity from listening in on a phone call.
If you have a warrant, there are a number of ways a phone line can be 'tapped'. I will not list them here for obvious reasons.
SpyNavy
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)