Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site peora.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!lll-crg!dual!qantel!ihnp4!drutx!mtuxo!mtunh!mtung!mtunf!ariel!vax135!petsd!peora!joel From: joel@peora.UUCP (Joel Upchurch) Newsgroups: net.consumers Subject: Re: Telephone Rate Hike - Pacific Bell Message-ID: <1457@peora.UUCP> Date: Thu, 8-Aug-85 12:02:26 EDT Article-I.D.: peora.1457 Posted: Thu Aug 8 12:02:26 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 13-Aug-85 01:07:39 EDT References: <1845@amdahl.UUCP> <69600027@hp-pcd.UUCP> <10892@rochester.UUCP> <308@tove.UUCP> Organization: Perkin-Elmer SDC, Orlando, Fl. Lines: 16 >I read somewhere that it's legal to record from phone lines without a >beep as long as the recording device is coupled to the line >acoustically rather than electronically. In fact, I suspect that >that's how telephone answering machines manage to record messages >legally without beeping periodically. Can anyone confirm this? As I recall you can record a phone call as long as one party to a call consents to it, otherwise it is a phone tap and you better have a court order. That means that you can record your own phone calls, but if you record your spouses or your employees phone calls, without their knowledge you can get in big trouble. I think 60 minutes did a segment on it a month or so ago. I don't think it makes a legal difference how the recording device is coupled. Maybe you are thinking of the old phone company rules about attaching 'foreign' equiptment to the telephone line.