[Politech] Wiretap-happy Verizon "sorry" to lose privacy-conscious customer [priv]

From: Declan McCullagh (declan@private)
Date: Wed Aug 11 2004 - 05:07:01 PDT


---

>From: Jeffrey.Nelson@private
>To: georgegetz@private, nels1je@private
>Cc: declan.mccullagh
>Subject: RE: [Politech] FCC votes 5-0 for Internet wiretapping;Verizon app
>         lauds [priv]
>Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2004 11:27:16 -0400
>
>Mr. Getz,
>
>I'm certainly sorry to hear that you've decided not to join the more than 40
>million customers who have chosen Verizon Wireless for their wireless
>communications needs.  Should you be interested in learning more about us
>and our best-in-class national wireless network, please let me know and I'd
>be happy to arrange for an expert in one of our stores to show you what
>we've got.
>
>Best wishes,
>Jeffrey Nelson
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: George Getz [mailto:georgegetz@private]
>Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 11:29 AM
>To: Jeffrey.Nelson@private
>Cc: 'Declan McCullagh'
>Subject: FW: [Politech] FCC votes 5-0 for Internet wiretapping;Verizon
>applauds [priv]
>
>
>Dear Jeff:
>
>I was in the process of deciding whether to go with Cingular or Verizon when
>my contract expires next week.
>
>After reading this I chose Cingular.
>
>George Getz
>Communications Director
>Libertarian Party
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: politech-bounces@private
>[mailto:politech-bounces@private] On Behalf Of Declan McCullagh
>Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 8:33 AM
>To: politech@private
>Subject: [Politech] FCC votes 5-0 for Internet wiretapping;Verizon applauds
>[priv]
>
>---
>
>My article on the decision itself:
>http://news.com.com/Feds+back+wiretap+rules+for+Internet/2100-7352_3-5296417
>.html
>"Broadband providers and Internet phone services must comply with
>wiretapping requirements designed for the traditional phone network, the
>Federal Communications Commission said in a preliminary decision Wednesday."
>
>My column on questions to ask John Ashcroft and the FBI:
>http://news.com.com/Fahrenheit+FBI/2010-7352_3-5300198.html
>.  Your request to the FCC said that broadband and VoIP companies may raise
>prices to "recover their CALEA implementation costs from their customers."
>How do you square higher prices with President Bush's speech in March
>calling for "affordable broadband" for all Americans?
>.  Congress gave telephone companies $500 million to buy new equipment to
>comply with CALEA. Why should Internet companies not receive the same
>treatment? Is it because Verizon, SBC and the other former Bells have
>well-connected lobbying outposts in Washington, D.C.--but Vonage, 8x8 and
>other VoIP start-ups do not?
>.  Skype CEO Niklas Zennstrom told me last fall that "we do not have any
>legal obligation to provide any means for interception" in his company's
>VoIP software. How will you force a company based in Luxembourg to insert
>backdoors in its software when it has no obligation to do so?
>[...remainder snipped...]
>
>---
>
>http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=SVBIZINK3.story&STORY=/www
>/story/08-04-2004/0002225257&EDATE=WED+Aug+04+2004,+02:20+PM
>
>Verizon Wireless Applauds FCC for Law Enforcement Assistance
>
>      BEDMINSTER, N.J., Aug. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Communications
>Commission (FCC) today ruled that CALEA, the Communications Assistance for
>Law
>Enforcement Act, covers all voice telecommunications services, regardless of
>technology used to transmit voice.   Steven Zipperstein, vice president and
>general counsel at Verizon Wireless, commended the FCC, making the following
>statement:
>      "The Federal Communications Commission struck directly at criminals and
>terrorists today in deciding that all voice communications -- irrespective
>of
>technology -- are covered under the nation's wiretap laws.  Verizon Wireless
>advocated this result and strongly agrees that law enforcement, when armed
>with court-sanctioned authority, needs the ability to listen into suspected
>criminals and terrorists whether they are communicating through traditional
>voice technologies or using newer VoIP or push-to-talk services."
>      About Verizon Wireless
>      Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless
>communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and
>data
>network and 40.4 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon
>Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and
>Vodafone
>(NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at
>http://www.verizonwireless.com. To receive broadcast-quality video footage
>of
>Verizon Wireless operations, log onto
>http://www.thenewsmarket.com/verizonwireless.
>       MEDIA CONTACT:
>       Jeffrey Nelson
>       Verizon Wireless
>       908.306.4824
>       Jeffrey.Nelson@private
>_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________
Politech mailing list
Archived at http://www.politechbot.com/
Moderated by Declan McCullagh (http://www.mccullagh.org/)



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.3 : Wed Aug 11 2004 - 05:47:45 PDT