I think the lawyers in my company are dreaming - mobile phone calls

[rsutoratosu]

So they seem to think that we can call up ATT or VZ or whatever mobile company and get them to give us a recording of our phone calls (made on mobile device) from 2011.

1. I dont think they record everyone
2. Even if they do, can they just give it out ?
3. Are all our calls even recorded.

Apparently someone f-up and they think the proof is in the phone conversation

 

[Jodell88]

I highly doubt any phone company actually records the phone call. The most you may get is number XXX-XXXX called XXX-XXXX with date and time.

I also doubt they'll get that information easily.

 

[VirtualLarry]

You would be surprised. I believe that all mobile phone calls are in fact being recorded.

I had a "voicemail" once that dropped into my mailbox, that was actually a recording of a phone call that I had with someone, that did NOT go to my voicemail. So to me, that's proof-positive that they are in fact recording everyone.

 

[rsutoratosu]

probably but its probably the nsa guys, no one really knows how much data are being stored.

 

[s44]

I think they've watched The Dark Knight once too often.

Anyone who's recording isn't just going to let you take a copy.

 

[MotionMan]

I am struggling to get AT&T to give me my own client's phone records, with a written authorization AND a subpoena.

It will be a cold day in hell before they give up any recordings they might have (not that they actually have recordings of every damn phone call in the first place).

MotionMan, Esq.

 

[Mopetar]

You would be surprised. I believe that all mobile phone calls are in fact being recorded.

I had a "voicemail" once that dropped into my mailbox, that was actually a recording of a phone call that I had with someone, that did NOT go to my voicemail. So to me, that's proof-positive that they are in fact recording everyone.

That could just be a one-off fluke where the system glitched and thought a phone conversation was a voicemail message. I had a weird experience once where I dialed a friend and somehow got connected to another conversation he was having. He couldn't hear me, and I couldn't hear the person he was talking to, but I could hear him. It took me a while to figure out what the hell was going on. When I called him back later he said that he was on the phone with someone else and that my call never showed up on his end.

Weird bugs happen all of the time with software. Also, the amount of storage that would be required to record every phone conversation would be staggering. Not to mention the legal ramifications if that information ever got released. Also, the number of people that would have to know about it would be so staggeringly high, and the violation of rights so heinous, that there's no way it could be kept a secret.

If the government really wants to know what you're saying they'll just get a warrant and then start recording just you. Otherwise everything they have would be inadmissible in court anyway.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

You would need multiple very large complexes to deal with the recording and storing of every call being made. The costs would be staggering. Not to mention the complexities in keeping it all usefully organized.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

You would need multiple very large complexes to deal with the recording and storing of every call being made. The costs would be staggering. Not to mention the complexities in keeping it all usefully organized.

voice call quality doesn't need to be a 320kbps mp3 file. it's not that complex to store. but with that said, it's still a pretty hefty system that i doubt they have setup for EVERY call....

 

[poofyhairguy]

Did I just wake up in a mid-90's action thriller movie where thanks to "technology" the "good guys" can do almost anything?

Because while I am here I have a .2 megapixel photo I need to ENHANCE with more detail so I can see what my wife had stuck in her teeth that day.

 

[Fire&Blood]

All inbound & outbound US calls are monitored, speech detection algorithms are used to monitor for "trigger words" and flag conversations to be followed up on.
Big brother isn't actively listening to all conversations but they have access to old ones should you say something interesting in recent ones. I'm far from a network specialist but impressive equipment has been installed in the 2 major hubs. I believe Obama recently extended warrantless wiretapping through 2017.

No one can subpoena the data collected.

 

[ImDonly1]

If the government really wants to know what you're saying they'll just get a warrant and then start recording just you. Otherwise everything they have would be inadmissible in court anyway.

Yea... warrants... they will surely get warrants....

 

[MichaelBarg]

The lawyers at your company think this? Are they aware that it's actually illegal to record a conversation without consent of all parties in about 12 states? http://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/recording-phone-calls-and-conversations

Quite apart from the law, and the technical issues about recording and storing all that data, we know this does not happen. How do we know? Because if they did it would show up in court all the time. The prosecutor would subpoena the recordings and introduce them as evidence at trial. Hell, if all phone calls were recorded and available it would happen every time someone was arrested as a routine matter - get their calls for the time period around the alleged crime. Same thing in civil cases: "we made a deal on the phone" and here's the recording; "that psycho threatened me over the phone" and here's the recording. And a million other situations.

None of that ever happens. So you can be pretty sure the phone company isn't recording you.

 

[Mopetar]

Yea... warrants... they will surely get warrants....

Unless this is a terrible Hollywood action movie where they just black bag someone before burying them in the swamp, they're going to get a warrant. Otherwise they can't actually use any of it in court. So unless you believe that the government is disappearing large numbers of people, they'll go through the trouble of getting a warrant or there's nothing that they can do.

 

[jersiq]

All inbound & outbound US calls are monitored, speech detection algorithms are used to monitor for "trigger words" and flag conversations to be followed up on.
Big brother isn't actively listening to all conversations but they have access to old ones should you say something interesting in recent ones. I'm far from a network specialist but impressive equipment has been installed in the 2 major hubs. I believe Obama recently extended warrantless wiretapping through 2017.

No one can subpoena the data collected.

LOL, no

I am a network specialist. I have worked in this industry since 1998. I have worked in cellular MTSO's. There are no big boxes scouring for speech recognition.

 

[Bateluer]

The OPs lawyers live in a delusional fantasy land.

 

[Fire&Blood]

LOL, no

I am a network specialist. I have worked in this industry since 1998. I have worked in cellular MTSO's. There are no big boxes scouring for speech recognition.

Data is not collected at that level:
http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/04/70619

You guys are naive:

http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/31/3822012/president-obama-signs-fisa-extension

 

[lothar]

OP's lawyers may be from Pakistan.
In Pakistan, every mobile conversation is tapped by the ISI.

 

[compman25]

LOL, no

I am a network specialist. I have worked in this industry since 1998. I have worked in cellular MTSO's. There are no big boxes scouring for speech recognition.

Echelon

 

[darkewaffle]

My company recently had to peruse phone records from the last two years or so to compile a record of all calls made to a given state. In this case we were able to digitally process copies of our CenturyLink bills as they did have comprehensive listings of originating number/state and recipient number/state; but no, they're not recorded and I'm not sure if records for mobile calls vs landline calls would be archived/available any differently or not.