151–160 of 174 posts
Earlier quoted context omitted.
A lot of telcos used to have phone numbers you could call that would just say the number you're calling from (like with a computerized voice). I forget what this was called, but it was talked about in phreaking community or so on. Not sure if these "caller identifier" phone numbers are still around today though.
They're called ANACs - automatic number announcement circuits.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The article literally talks about blacklisting and has a photo of what a blacklisted phone shows when this happens.
And what time frame did I apply for when I exited mobile?
You continually use the present tense when the argument... just doesn't apply anymore.
> I think I’m more concerned with the fact that the carriers know the IMEI of phones and claim that they can do nothing about stolen phones.
This is not a fact anymore.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is 100% a privacy concern if you're dealing with state level actors.
I would think state level actors have enough tools to deal with this issue. If nothing else they could go the old fashioned way and just, you know, follow you.
The fact the IMEI is generally not editable seems like a massive privacy hole. Just let people edit it. Then I can be someone new every day and nobody can track me. Mac address randomization does that for wifi. Now do the same for mobile networks.
Fun fact: Lots of cellular modem/routers have the easy ability to change IMEI. Doing so is a fairly common practice in the rural internet community. i.e., those using cellular for their internet access either because cable / fiber or an official cellular option like T-Mobile home internet is unavailable or they're mobile in an RV. These people are not trying to do anything particularly nefarious but they do it so tha…
This said, I find it insane that there are such plans. The cost of a connection should be the same whatever the device behind is.
Fun fact: Lots of cellular modem/routers have the easy ability to change IMEI. Doing so is a fairly common practice in the rural internet community. i.e., those using cellular for their internet access either because cable / fiber or an official cellular option like T-Mobile home internet is unavailable or they're mobile in an RV. These people are not trying to do anything particularly nefarious but they do it so tha…
glorious reminds me of changing mac address to get around data caps in the student dorm network
Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Can't buy a gsm module for your arduiono What do you mean by that? Ostensibly I can. https://www.adafruit.com/product/2687 Note: it’s on back order, but in theory I would be able to buy a GSM module for my Arduino.
From reading the message, it wouldn't work in Turkey because the IMEI is blocked
Fun fact: Lots of cellular modem/routers have the easy ability to change IMEI. Doing so is a fairly common practice in the rural internet community. i.e., those using cellular for their internet access either because cable / fiber or an official cellular option like T-Mobile home internet is unavailable or they're mobile in an RV. These people are not trying to do anything particularly nefarious but they do it so tha…
Passive TCP/IP fingerprinting might tell a lot about the device. You could probably easily tell apart an iPad and a router. But if IMEI checking catches 95% of plan cheaters, it's probably not worth implementing more checks (more checks = more cost and infrastructure to maintain, is it cheaper than the lost revenue?). This said, I find it insane that there are such plans. The cost of a connection should be the same w…
Something interesting might happen next week. T-Mobile Home Internet is not supposed to be moved from the registered address but until now that has not been enforced. It's quite popular with RVers. They just announced a new "Away" plan for $160/mo that you are allowed to move compared to $60 for the normal home plan and, not surprisingly, it seems like they're about to start enforcing the geo-restriction on the home plan. This apparently uses GPS in the device. I hear that a lot of people are using the home internet SIMs in other devices with the IMEI set. This is because there are much better devices with external antenna ports etc. These might be in trouble if they don't respond to the GPS request.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
In theory it doesn’t, in practice it does.
No, it doesn't. AT commands also don't make it onto your phone line, after all. They're for communication between a host and a modem/baseband, not between a host and another host or even two modems.
For example, *SC*123123123# sets up call forwarding to that number.
If you buy a phone in Turkey, it's IMEI is registered to a gov authority and you can use / transfer it as you wish. If you happen to buy one from another country, it will be locked after 60 days of use and no carrier will connect it after that. You can use your passport to to prove that it was not imported commercially but you brought it with you and register it. For $1000 (yeah). And it is locked to your ID. Can't t…