4 ms·

MagicJack's Next Act: Disappearing Cell Phone Fees

32 points by mshafrir 17y ago

wglb 17y ago
Uh, Borislow said the device is legal because wireless spectrum licenses don't extend into the home. sounds a bit suspicious. If the cell carriers radio signals extend to the home, do they suddenly become unlicensed? I think not. Smacks of regulatory action upcoming. Consider the illegal cellphone jammers. Those use licensed spectrum, yet they are illegal because they are not licensed.
- teilo 17y ago
  Right. I think the legal limitations have more to do with signal propagation than whether or not it is in the home. Witness the FM transmitters used to listen to your MP3 player in the car or at home.
- TallGuyShort 17y ago
  No, they're illegal because FCC regulations specifically ban any device that interferes with other transmissions, _especially_ transmissions over reserved frequencies. By the letter of the law, this is actually kind of a gray area, IMO. I think if it does get nailed down, it will only be because the cell phone companies retaliate against users because of some license agreement loop-hole. I'm not sure how the FCC actually stands on the issue of in-your-home, but as long as the device doesn't transmit a disruptive signal outside of the house, I think the MagicJack people are in the right here. (full disclosure: I'm not a lawyer, but an amateur radio enthusiast - so I've read a fair bit about the issue)
  - wglb 17y ago
    Interesting point. I know there are exceptions to licensing for certain services--as is noted elsewhere in this thread the FM transmitters for mp3 players and the like, but I was under the impression that was specifically included by the regulations. What is interesting is whether that applies to any frequency.
    - karzeem 17y ago
      My high school radio station's transmissions could only reach to the near side of the school parking lot, and I'm pretty sure that was to avoid having to deal with the FCC. Isn't this pretty much the same thing? If your transmission peters out at a small radius, I think the FCC doesn't get involved.
- jws 17y ago
  Yes, but what if they choose to use the frequencies that don't work in your home? Cover the town with non-overlapping coverage circles a specific frequency's range for each tower. There will be gaps where that frequency is not used and you won't be interfering. They can simply listen to see which frequencies are not covering your home. No matter where you live there will be open frequencies because they need to have stagger the coverage. Now I must apologize for this terrible explanation. It needs a picture and I don't have time to draw one.
- qeorge 17y ago
  It matters because public property is just that: owned by the people (govt). This includes airwaves, which gives the US govt the right to license it. The airwaves in your home however are not public property. At least that is my understanding (IANAL).
steveklabnik 17y ago
Is listening illegal? Or just transmitting? This will be interesting, no doubt.
skolor 17y ago
At the very least I hope these go to Market. This doesn't seem all that useful (at least not to me), but a USB device that can communicate via GSM sounds like it would be very fun to play with.
oomkiller 17y ago
I want one of these, but open, so I can use my own VoIP SIP information and integrate with my pbx.
ams6110 17y ago
Does anyone actually have a good experience with MagicJack's service? The idea of this device is cool, but people I know who've tried the conventional MagicJack, and reviews I've read of it, are both in agreement that it sucks pretty badly.
bhseo 17y ago
Does it make a call to every cellphone in range? That would be a cool way to spam.

32 points by mshafrir 17y ago

wglb 17y ago

Uh, Borislow said the device is legal because wireless spectrum licenses don't extend into the home. sounds a bit suspicious. If the cell carriers radio signals extend to the home, do they suddenly become unlicensed? I think not. Smacks of regulatory action upcoming. Consider the illegal cellphone jammers. Those use licensed spectrum, yet they are illegal because they are not licensed.

teilo 17y ago
Right. I think the legal limitations have more to do with signal propagation than whether or not it is in the home. Witness the FM transmitters used to listen to your MP3 player in the car or at home.
TallGuyShort 17y ago
No, they're illegal because FCC regulations specifically ban any device that interferes with other transmissions, _especially_ transmissions over reserved frequencies. By the letter of the law, this is actually kind of a gray area, IMO. I think if it does get nailed down, it will only be because the cell phone companies retaliate against users because of some license agreement loop-hole. I'm not sure how the FCC actually stands on the issue of in-your-home, but as long as the device doesn't transmit a disruptive signal outside of the house, I think the MagicJack people are in the right here. (full disclosure: I'm not a lawyer, but an amateur radio enthusiast - so I've read a fair bit about the issue)
- wglb 17y ago
  Interesting point. I know there are exceptions to licensing for certain services--as is noted elsewhere in this thread the FM transmitters for mp3 players and the like, but I was under the impression that was specifically included by the regulations. What is interesting is whether that applies to any frequency.
  - karzeem 17y ago
    My high school radio station's transmissions could only reach to the near side of the school parking lot, and I'm pretty sure that was to avoid having to deal with the FCC. Isn't this pretty much the same thing? If your transmission peters out at a small radius, I think the FCC doesn't get involved.
jws 17y ago
Yes, but what if they choose to use the frequencies that don't work in your home? Cover the town with non-overlapping coverage circles a specific frequency's range for each tower. There will be gaps where that frequency is not used and you won't be interfering. They can simply listen to see which frequencies are not covering your home. No matter where you live there will be open frequencies because they need to have stagger the coverage. Now I must apologize for this terrible explanation. It needs a picture and I don't have time to draw one.
qeorge 17y ago
It matters because public property is just that: owned by the people (govt). This includes airwaves, which gives the US govt the right to license it. The airwaves in your home however are not public property. At least that is my understanding (IANAL).

steveklabnik 17y ago

Is listening illegal? Or just transmitting? This will be interesting, no doubt.

skolor 17y ago

At the very least I hope these go to Market. This doesn't seem all that useful (at least not to me), but a USB device that can communicate via GSM sounds like it would be very fun to play with.

oomkiller 17y ago

I want one of these, but open, so I can use my own VoIP SIP information and integrate with my pbx.

ams6110 17y ago

Does anyone actually have a good experience with MagicJack's service? The idea of this device is cool, but people I know who've tried the conventional MagicJack, and reviews I've read of it, are both in agreement that it sucks pretty badly.

bhseo 17y ago

Does it make a call to every cellphone in range? That would be a cool way to spam.