[UA] Our modern mobile world

[Liam Routt]

Advice needed...

It has come to my attention that in order to run any roleplaying game set
in the modern world (or a close facsimile) one probably should own a
mobile phone, read its manual, and understand its capabilities. I haven't
managed any of those... so I have a few questions (along the lines of
"what *can* a mobile phone do?"). I do understand the basic concepts of
mobile telecommunications, but...

1. Person A calls Person B. Both have mobile phones. After the fact can a
   suitably authorized person find out:
     a) where person A was at the time of the call?
     b) where person B was at the time of the call?
     c) how long the call was?
     d) who has such information? The company that serves person
        A? Person B's company? Both? Someone else?
     e) and what sort of authority is required for such information?
     f) how accessible is such information to unauthorized people?

2. What sort of info about the calling party does a mobile phone have?
     a) their number? any additional identifier?
     b) their location? even in general terms (USA, France, or Alabama?)
     c) what about for calls that are not answered? when the phone is off?
        when the phone is on and you just don't pick up?
     d) what about for outgoing calls you have made?

3. How trackable are mobile phones?
     a) when they are on?
     b) when they are off?
     c) with or without the "mobile network's" help?

4. Answering machine-style services. Are they common, or standard? What
   info, if any, do they tell you about the caller? Can the network
   provider find out more?

5. Do mobile phones work outside the area that they were purchased for (as
   long as there is coverage by some network provider)? So if I buy a
   phone to use in Chicago, can I use it freely in Boston, San Fran, and
   Paris, Moscow and Taipei? Do I need to set such access up specially?

6. Ceasing service. How easy is it to cut off a mobile user through the
   service provider (ie. authorities tell the company to stop A from
   making any calls)?
     a) if A stays in the local area?
     b) if A travels to another state?
     c) if A goes to another country?
     d) in any case, can A receive calls, even if calls out cannot be
        made?

Anything else I should know? :)

Take care,

Liam
--
Liam Routt                                               liam at routt.net
Darcsyde Productions                           http://www.darcsyde.org/

        -- still waiting for the Absolute Destiny Apocalypse --

_______________________________________________
UA mailing list
UA at lists.uchicago.edu
http://lists.uchicago.edu/mailman/listinfo/ua