Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttidcc.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe From: hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) Newsgroups: net.consumers Subject: Re: Telephone Rate Hike - Pacific Bell (recording conversations) Message-ID: <647@ttidcc.UUCP> Date: Wed, 7-Aug-85 14:45:37 EDT Article-I.D.: ttidcc.647 Posted: Wed Aug 7 14:45:37 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 10-Aug-85 20:46:50 EDT References: <1845@amdahl.UUCP> <69600027@hp-pcd.UUCP> <10892@rochester.UUCP> <308@tove.UUCP> Reply-To: hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath) Organization: The Cat Factory Lines: 35 Summary: In article <308@tove.UUCP> dsn@tove.UUCP (Dana S. Nau) writes: >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? My understanding, based on a data communications course and several TV documentaries, is that regulations vary from state to state. In virtually all states at least one person involved in the conversation (as opposed to just tapping the line and listening) must know of the recording device for legality. Some states require all persons involved in the conversation to know. I'm not sure who requires the 15 second interval beep. The question about acoustic vs. electrical connection comes from a landmark court case some years ago known as the Carterphone Decision. This involved a telephone answering machine that was acoustically connected to the telephone. Basically, this was the first non-AT&T manufactured equipment that could be legally connected to the telephone network and was the entering wedge for 3rd-party telephone equipment suppliers. They got away with it by not being electrically connected to the network, thus posing no shock hazard to AT&T maintenance workers (AT&T's main excuse for prohibiting 3rd party suppliers). Later AT&T had to publish electrical standards for connection for use by third-party suppliers. I think most modern answering machines are electrically connected to the telephone network (mine certainly are). -_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe) Citicorp TTI Common Sense is what tells you that a ten 3100 Ocean Park Blvd. pound weight falls ten times as fast as a Santa Monica, CA 90405 one pound weight. (213) 450-9111, ext. 2483 {philabs,randvax,trwrb,vortex}!ttidca!ttidcc!hollombe