Re: Do these cellular amplifiers work for all cellphones?

On 2022-04-09 13:08, Woody wrote:
> On Sat 09/04/2022 17:08, David Woolley wrote:
>> On 09/04/2022 16:16, gtr wrote:
>>> Why would it be illegal to listen to ANY signal that is over the air?
>>
>> In this case, it is because they retransmit the signal in the vehicle.
>>
>> However there is an also expectation of privacy.  The default UK 
>> position is that you need a licence to receive radio transmissions, 
>> although there are some exemptions.
>>
>> Even the US makes it illegal to listen on cellular frequencies, even 
>> though other frequencies, including the police, were open.
>>
>> I don't think either country has changed its legislation to reflect 
>> that cellular systems are now encrypted.
> 
> The default UK ruling is that you can only (in theory at least) listen 
> to transmissions intended for public entertainment, information, or 
> education. How anyone could be traced and/or prosecuted for listening to 
> anything in open speech on any waveband just shows how little the 
> establishment understands! Listening to civil aircraft is illegal but 

I seem to recall British government trucks roaming around with apparatus 
to listen for non-licensed television.  They would pick up 
characteristic signals from the television:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV_detector_van


> look see how many people you see standing around the perimeter fence at 
> most major airports with scanners stuck on their ears! Radio amateur 
> licences gave a much wider brief - they could legally listen to maritime 
> transmissions for instance which is why in the UK it was necessary to 
> take a 12wpm morse test so that you could identify marine distress 
> calls. OfCom recognised some years ago that maritime comms is now 
> largely VHF for short range and satellite for longer distance so did 
> away with the morse test requirement: Japan retained the morse test for 
> a long time but set the speed at 0 wpm.
> 
> Always puzzled me why the US barred scanners from listening to cellular 
> channels but would let you listen to police. The latter have now gone 
> largely digital (mostly DMR) but with a suitable radio you can still 
> listen to them even from the UK! Barmy IMO.

Cell calls, like phone calls are private.
Police is public.  (So most police went to encrypted gear to hide).

-- 
"Mr Speaker, I withdraw my statement that half the cabinet are asses -
  half the cabinet are not asses."
-Benjamin Disraeli