Monitoring cellphone conversations inflight

The Wall Street Journal

July 15, 2005

Lawmakers Balk at Cellphones on Jets
Safety, Annoyance Factors
Remain Primary Concerns;
Terror Threat Is Also Worry

By AMY SCHATZ
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
July 15, 2005; Page B4

WASHINGTON
Justice Department and Homeland Security officials have said that if cellphone usage is allowed (onboard airplanes) they would like the FCC to require surveillance access to voice and data traffic and to establish rules that would allow federal officials to pinpoint the seat location of people using phones inside planes.

It isn't clear whether the FCC has authority to require such measures and if some of the requests are technically feasible.

Justice officials want greater power to intercept calls and data traffic on planes than they do on the ground. They also want to be able to obtain the seat number or general location of callers, and to have the ability to cut off or redirect calls and equipment in cargo holds to jam wireless signals that could detonate explosives.

you are being monitored.