[Lonesome in Massachussets]

They wouldn't have to "conscript" or confiscate the handsets, just turn off the towers. Cell phones always communicate via the a near by tower. Two cell phones a block away won't communicate if there is no tower. (How could they bill you?)

[Physicist]

But "Dear Leader" and his toadies are still using the cell phones, I'll bet, not to mention the military.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #28

Ryongchon is pretty close to China. In this border area, you can use a Chinese cell phone, which uses towers in China across the border. N. Koreans cannot turn off Chinese towers. An important fact to be noted.

[Larry Lucido]

"They wouldn't have to "conscript" or confiscate the handsets, just turn off the towers. Cell phones always communicate via the a near by tower. Two cell phones a block away won't communicate if there is no tower. (How could they bill you?)"

I don't know anything about the technology here, but can a cell phone alone be used as a transmitting device to communicate directly with a detonator?

[George from New England]

"just turn off the towers."

Best point on this thread.