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> our biggest client is telco's who have to track everyone in order to comply with subpoenas. Perhaps I am missing something, but I don't understand the inters

> our biggest client is telco's who have to track everyone in order to comply with subpoenas. Perhaps I am missing something, but I don't understand the intersection of why telco's are involved in serving subpoenas and the need to know the physical location of users. Are you referring to a log of networks / DHCP leases their customers were using at any given time?

colinmhayes 4y ago
Not serving subpoenas, responding to them. Police subpoena stuff like "everyone who was within x feet of this phone number or location between these times" and the telcos can't just say "we don't keep that data."
- DoneWithAllThat 4y ago
  …why not? Is there a federal law compelling then to record and store precise location data indefinitely?
  - colinmhayes 4y ago
    I'm not sure if it's a legal requirement or they just don't want to upset law enforcement. I guess maybe they're just keeping the data for other reasons and then law enforcement is jumping on that. All I know is they're using our data warehouse and having me write queries that answer those subpoenas when they come in. Well I know that in the UK it is a legal requirement, but not sure about the US.
- novok 4y ago
  Subpoenas are based on information you have. Where is the law or regulation that says they need to keep it? Telcos keep it because it helps them with network capacity planning and is incredibility financially lucrative when they want to sell the data. It's probably more to fill in their data product for malls and fine grained location than to do it for subpoenas, which if they had a choice would probably rather not have to do.
- landemva 4y ago
  > the telcos can't just say "we don't keep that data." Not sure what country you are in, though that is untrue in USA. Businesses keep whatever business records they desire, and some required regulatory/personnel data. Even if they have the data a USA attorney can try to argue that the request is unduly burdensome or too broad and ask court to quash subpoena.
djbusby 4y ago
And CDR and LUD. Call Data Records (numbers, time, duration) and Local Usage Detail (they use "LUDs" on TV)

colinmhayes 4y ago

Not serving subpoenas, responding to them. Police subpoena stuff like "everyone who was within x feet of this phone number or location between these times" and the telcos can't just say "we don't keep that data."

DoneWithAllThat 4y ago
…why not? Is there a federal law compelling then to record and store precise location data indefinitely?
- colinmhayes 4y ago
  I'm not sure if it's a legal requirement or they just don't want to upset law enforcement. I guess maybe they're just keeping the data for other reasons and then law enforcement is jumping on that. All I know is they're using our data warehouse and having me write queries that answer those subpoenas when they come in. Well I know that in the UK it is a legal requirement, but not sure about the US.
novok 4y ago
Subpoenas are based on information you have. Where is the law or regulation that says they need to keep it? Telcos keep it because it helps them with network capacity planning and is incredibility financially lucrative when they want to sell the data. It's probably more to fill in their data product for malls and fine grained location than to do it for subpoenas, which if they had a choice would probably rather not have to do.
landemva 4y ago
> the telcos can't just say "we don't keep that data." Not sure what country you are in, though that is untrue in USA. Businesses keep whatever business records they desire, and some required regulatory/personnel data. Even if they have the data a USA attorney can try to argue that the request is unduly burdensome or too broad and ask court to quash subpoena.

djbusby 4y ago

And CDR and LUD. Call Data Records (numbers, time, duration) and Local Usage Detail (they use "LUDs" on TV)