[IP] more on Pre-paid mobile phones
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Patrick W. Gilmore" <patrick@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 12, 2006 12:50:31 PM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: "Patrick W. Gilmore" <patrick@xxxxxxxxx>, ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [IP] Pre-paid mobile phones
On Oct 12, 2006, at 10:24 AM, David Farber wrote:
Last night I bought a pre-paid phone and the sales person asked for
my ID, I asked why and he said it was to check that I am old enough
to buy a phone- since I am 42, I was a bit dubious about that one,
and then he typed my name and information into the system. I asked
why and he said it was a requirement. My question for the group
is, whose requirement, and why? I kind of thought the whole point
of pre-pay was that you can just buy a phone and there was no need
for identifying information since there is no credit risk, or
directory listing. My colleagues tell me that in some European
countries no information is needed, although that may change with
new European directives.
I borrowed a pre-paid SIM in Germany a couple weeks ago. The person
asked for the SIM back, even if I used all the money. I thought he
wanted to save the initial purchase since you can re-charge the
credits. He said he was worried someone would find it, use it for
"terrorist" activity, and it would be traced back to him.
It's .. uh .. "good" to know the US is not the only country where
"TERRORISTS MIGHT DO SOMETHING BAD" is an excuse for anything the
gov't wants to do.
Bah.
--
TTFN,
patrick
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