How secure are wireless conversations?

Who is that listening to your wireless conversation? Are we just paranoid or justifiably concerned? Is your wireless conversations secure from prying ears?

Sadly, anyone with a receiver can listen to analog frequencies. Therefore, you are pretty much broadcasting your complete conversation when using an analog wireless phone. Then you thought you might be safer with a digital phone. Not really, digital phone conversations can be listened to with a little higher tech equipment that transfers the digital signal back into analog form.

This really is not a big deal if you are just talking about the best deal you got at the super market. Well, that is unless they are almost out of the product. Realistically though, there are many forms of communication we use, that could be invaded on. Credit card orders, social security or medical information in addition to business secrets is included. This changes our thoughts on what we have that is private.

No cell phone conversation is ever completely secure.

However, using a digital cellular or PCS (personal communication service) phone provides more security. The newer more expensive phone will likely have a higher level of security feature, therefore making it harder for the invaders to hear your conversations. Keeping this all in mind it helps up know how secure our wireless conversations are.

The newest PCS phones take this process one step further, scrambling the digital data before transmitting it across a range of radio frequencies. The best cellular scrambling technology, called Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), makes it nearly impossible to intercept a conversation. Unless you are a head of state or an executive for a highly secretive multinational corporation, a digital phone that uses CDMA technology is more security than you are ever likely to need.

The invaders of your privacy can listen many ways to your phone calls. Some cell phones can be turned into a microphone. This is why credit card companies, government agencies or other companies with sensitive information will not even allow cell phones on in their vicinity.

Are there features I can look for that will help beef up the security on my cell phone?

As with cordless phones, digital cell phones are more secure than analog phones by default. Phone conversations on digital phones cannot be picked up by the kinds of radio scanners used by casual hobbyists. However, they can be by the devices that transfer the information back to an analog signal. Nonetheless, there are features you should consider regarding digital phone security.

Digital communications are often encrypted and can provide the highest security. Several digital technologies are available in the U.S., primarily CDMA (code division multiple access), * TDMA, * and GSM. * However, few carriers here encrypt digital transmissions, in contrast to Europe.

In addition to wireless phones and cell phones, there are other ways we send information out, that can be listened or read through technology. Even written forms of our wireless communication are not private.

Pagers can be intercepted. If you have, a wireless connection set up to your computer it can be invaded upon. Any wireless device that uses analog or digital signal is vulnerable to prying ears and eyes. Your wireless home security cameras, or home videos also can be an opening to invaders. Microphones and speakerphones that are wireless are also a means for the eaves dropping. Even a device as simple as your baby monitor will allow your privacy to be intruded on.

There are laws that are made to protect us, but short of actually taunting you with the information that was received. The law cannot do much to stop these predators. Therefore, you have to be the one to use common sense and protect yourself.