<p>Firstly, there are two ways of doing it, legally and illegally. While the designated government authorities usually take the legal route, anyone with deep pockets and right technology can tap another's phone, though illegally.<br /><br />To tap Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) phones legally, the service provider gives authorities a 'line out', or a parallel connection to the 'tapped line'. This line out can be either routed to a speaker (for hearing) or to a tape recording system. Most recording systems are now completely digital. Gone are the days of conventional tape recorders. Professional recording systems have built-in voice synthesisers, analysers and other assorted gadgetry.<br /><br />In case you can't get a line out (the legitimate way) and if you have money to spend you can get a signal interception device. It's a small computer-controlled machine that can tap or record GSM conversations even 2 km away. It's not easy to import such a device, so please don't reach out for your cheque book or credit card. You need to be a telecom service provider to be able to get such a device into the country. <br /><br />Of course, you could always smuggle it, the way the crooks bring in RDX and drugs. Such equipment is used by your GSM operator to monitor and test signal strength or call dropping. The device is available in different configurations that allows for the listening into of one to several hundred lines and could cost from Rs 30 lakhs for a single line to a few crores for multiple lines.<br /><br />The latest technology in tapping phones consists of a device called an 'interceptor' which can be either hand-held or packed in a suitcase. The device acts as a duplicate cell site, which intercepts mobile phone conversations, before they reach the actual network operator. The conversation is recorded on a hard disk and the device then retransmits the signals back to the actual network cell site. <br /><br />Tapping CDMA phones <br /><br />When it comes to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) phones, the signal interceptor may not be so successful given the different nature of the signals, though similar equipment is easily available.<br /><br />A method called cloning can also be used to tap both GSM and CDMA phones. For this one needs to know the IMEI (in case of GSM phones) or ESN (in case of CDMA phones) of the user, including his mobile number. A duplicate or cloned SIM (in case of GSM) or phone (in case of CDMA) is made and the duplicate phone is used to listen in to voice conversations.<br /><br />While most police departments tap and listen to voice conversations from time to time the equipment and techniques used are quite rudimentary.<br /><br />Mumbai's crime branch uses conventional tape/CD recording equipment to record conversations. In most cases, they get a line out from the service provider or install recording equipment at the service providers' switch. By law, every telco is required to provide a recording and tapping facility to designated authorities. <br /><br />According to DCP Manoj Lohiya, the Mumbai police have the capability to listen in to hundreds of lines simultaneously. The Mumbai crime branch has also invested in sophisticated lap-top-based equipment says a source, which can be used to listen in to conversations while on the move.<br /><br /><em>(Mr Remedios is a Mumbai-based technology writer)<br /><br /></em><a href="../content/125492/snooping-set-soar-soon.html">Snooping set to soar soon<br /></a></p>.<p><a href="../content/125491/no-surveillance-no-security.html">No surveillance, no security</a> </p>.<p><a href="../content/125486/death-privacy.html">Death of privacy</a> </p>
<p>Firstly, there are two ways of doing it, legally and illegally. While the designated government authorities usually take the legal route, anyone with deep pockets and right technology can tap another's phone, though illegally.<br /><br />To tap Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) phones legally, the service provider gives authorities a 'line out', or a parallel connection to the 'tapped line'. This line out can be either routed to a speaker (for hearing) or to a tape recording system. Most recording systems are now completely digital. Gone are the days of conventional tape recorders. Professional recording systems have built-in voice synthesisers, analysers and other assorted gadgetry.<br /><br />In case you can't get a line out (the legitimate way) and if you have money to spend you can get a signal interception device. It's a small computer-controlled machine that can tap or record GSM conversations even 2 km away. It's not easy to import such a device, so please don't reach out for your cheque book or credit card. You need to be a telecom service provider to be able to get such a device into the country. <br /><br />Of course, you could always smuggle it, the way the crooks bring in RDX and drugs. Such equipment is used by your GSM operator to monitor and test signal strength or call dropping. The device is available in different configurations that allows for the listening into of one to several hundred lines and could cost from Rs 30 lakhs for a single line to a few crores for multiple lines.<br /><br />The latest technology in tapping phones consists of a device called an 'interceptor' which can be either hand-held or packed in a suitcase. The device acts as a duplicate cell site, which intercepts mobile phone conversations, before they reach the actual network operator. The conversation is recorded on a hard disk and the device then retransmits the signals back to the actual network cell site. <br /><br />Tapping CDMA phones <br /><br />When it comes to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) phones, the signal interceptor may not be so successful given the different nature of the signals, though similar equipment is easily available.<br /><br />A method called cloning can also be used to tap both GSM and CDMA phones. For this one needs to know the IMEI (in case of GSM phones) or ESN (in case of CDMA phones) of the user, including his mobile number. A duplicate or cloned SIM (in case of GSM) or phone (in case of CDMA) is made and the duplicate phone is used to listen in to voice conversations.<br /><br />While most police departments tap and listen to voice conversations from time to time the equipment and techniques used are quite rudimentary.<br /><br />Mumbai's crime branch uses conventional tape/CD recording equipment to record conversations. In most cases, they get a line out from the service provider or install recording equipment at the service providers' switch. By law, every telco is required to provide a recording and tapping facility to designated authorities. <br /><br />According to DCP Manoj Lohiya, the Mumbai police have the capability to listen in to hundreds of lines simultaneously. The Mumbai crime branch has also invested in sophisticated lap-top-based equipment says a source, which can be used to listen in to conversations while on the move.<br /><br /><em>(Mr Remedios is a Mumbai-based technology writer)<br /><br /></em><a href="../content/125492/snooping-set-soar-soon.html">Snooping set to soar soon<br /></a></p>.<p><a href="../content/125491/no-surveillance-no-security.html">No surveillance, no security</a> </p>.<p><a href="../content/125486/death-privacy.html">Death of privacy</a> </p>
