Pupils eavesdrop on cellphone calls
BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU SAY . . .August 20, 2004 Edition 1
Lee Rondganger
Johannesburg: The next time you have a cellphone conversation, be careful what you say - chances are someone could be listening.
This startling discovery was made during an investigation between Talk Radio 702 and The Mercury's sister paper The Star yesterday.
The investigation proved that a person using the Vodacom network could eavesdrop on other people's conversations by dialling a code via the cell company's customer care service.
After dialling the code, the cellphone will randomly track conversations between people on the Vodacom network within a 15km radius. The people on the other end of the line will not know that their conversations are being listened to. In addition, the eavesdropper is not charged for the call.
This facility apparently is known to schoolchildren in Johannesburg who regularly tap into people's conversations during their lunch break. It was brought to the attention of The Star and 702 by a person who wants to be identified only as Glen.
"On Tuesday, a youngster who I know told me to be careful of what I say on the cellphone, because it is easy to tap into calls. At first I thought it was an urban legend, so I asked him to prove it to me - and he did. I could not believe it and decided to let the media know about it," he said.
Initially, Vodacom spokesman Ivan Booth denied yesterday that it was possible, when approached for comment on 702's John Robbie Show.
He said Glen might have been confusing another service offered by Vodacom which was similar to an internet chatroom, where people can join in on conversations.
When it was proved to Booth that tapping into other calls was possible, he said Vodacom would investigate the problem.
Yesterday, 702 and The Star were able to tap into scores of people's conversations.
Conversations ranged from businessmen discussing sensitive deals to a mother talking to her son, and even two people discussing a drug transaction.
It is not certain if the other networks can also be tapped.
Happy Zondi, a spokesman for Cell C - which has a roaming agreement with Vodacom to use its masts - said: "According to our technicians, it is not possible for a person to tap into people's conversations."
A spokesman for MTN could not be reached for comment.
Talk Radio 702 will be playing some of the recorded conversations on air at 7.15am today.
Last night, Booth called The Star and said the problem, which had been caused by "a software malfunction", had been rectified.
However, The Star and 702 were still able to tap into calls last night.
