How about we start today with a moment of silence…………….Ok, we’re back.  That brief pause was for our dear friend, the Analog Cell Network.  Think of this post as an obituary of sorts, as the service is officially off as of today.

That’s right, the FCC, according to articles, “will allow wireless network operators to shut down their old analog networks. These networks, built in the 1980s and called Advanced Mobile Phone Systems (AMPS) were some of the first used in the U.S. Network operators can also turn off their first-generation TDMA digital networks.”  Sad?  No. Not really.  Looks like Verizon Wireless and AT&T are both scheduled do hit the big “Abort” switch today, and others will most likely follow suit in and around today.  Will your service be compromised, you might be asking?  Truthfully, not likely.

The number of services still using these as broad methods of providing connections is low enough that most wireless customers won’t even notice at all.  So, as we move further and further into this digital world, tip your cap, and say farewell to our analog forefathers.  Adieu kind sir.

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Remember when you didn’t know who was calling before you picked up the phone?

Those days are back.

In the last few years, Caller ID spoofing has  become more and more popular. Now, with sites like Spoofcard.com and Telespoof.com, it has also become simple.

And it lives in the legal Neverland of  only being illegal if used to commit a crime.  Which means that the sites offering the spoofing services will not be shut down until the law changes.

The way they work is straightforward. The user dials a toll-free number,  keys in the destination number and the Caller ID number to display.

Some services also provide voice scrambling to make the caller sound like someone of the opposite sex.

The service is being used in many illegals ways. Calls from what appears to be a  legitimate charity for donations or from  your bank asking to confirm your account information could be schemes to get your credit information.

Likewise, Caller ID is used by credit-card companies to authenticate newly issued cards. People who steal new credit cards from the mail can now make it appear to be calling from that number.

Credit Card companies are responding by using sophisticated 1-800 numbers, where the hardware can identify calls using a separate technology.

Others steal credit card numbers and then call Western Union using the spoofed phone number of the true card owners to order wire transfers they go and quickly cash out.

Although the FCC has not yet launched an investigation  or recommended any law change, most Federal and State investigative branches have cases they are working that mayeventually shut down the most unscrupulous of these services.

But for now, be aware.

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Today the Federal Communications Commission announced its decision to go ahead with its plan for the upcoming January auction of some very valuable airwaves

And it will be effecting you and your wireless usage in the near future.

At stake? A huge chunk of prime wireless spectrum known as ‘700 MHz‘. It was bandwidth held in reserve for the television industry, but the technology there won’t need it so it’s being sold off. The entire spectrum is worth $15-20 billion, and will be sold in chunks (at least one of which will be big enough for a new national network.)

What’s so special about it? Well, according to InternetNews; “that spectrum is considered ideal for delivering advanced wireless services, including broadband that meets or exceeds the speeds of DSL or cable modems.”

Normally, this would mean the Big 4 (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint/Nextel) would slice it up amongst themselves..

But an opportunity like this one doesn’t happen every day, and technology veterans and entrepreneurs alike saw the chance to break up the ‘pseudo-monopoly’ of the Big 4.

With Google leading the charge, an FCC filing was made asking that the auction NOT be business as usual and that the FCC adopt 4 ‘Open-Platform’ initiatives that would make the new bandwidth available, like the internet, for anyone to tap into.

Seasoned wireless telephony executives as well as other corporations joined Google - including eBay (who owns ‘Skype’), Amazon, and Yahoo! They published an open letter asking for consumer and corporate support for the open-platform. That, in turn, led to Congressional hearings.

The Big 4 from came out swinging. Their executives and lobbyists said that the Google-group’s plan was unfairly helping smaller, less-heeled concerns not only to compete - but to dictate terms. They also made the point that their own well-funded R&D groups were the ones most poised to take best advantage of the opportunities of this new bandwidth.

“In the U.S., wireless spectrum for mobile phones and data is controlled by a small group of companies, leaving consumers with very few service providers from which to choose,” fired back Chris Sacca, Google’s Head of Special Initiatives.

Google then stepped up and pledged that if FCC adopted their proposed initiatives, then Google would promise to buy $4.6 billion worth for a new network.

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin responded with a plan that tried to walk in the middle. Neither side liked it very much and both put in a big final push to influence him more to one side or the other.

As the industry held its breath today, the final decision surprised few and disappointed many. Martin’s plan is the FCC choice.

To simplify; two of the Google ‘Open Platform’ initiatives were adopted:

1) Open applications: consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire. This means you can use Skype or Firefox or whatever else on your phone .

2) Open devices: consumers should be able to utilize their handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer. No more having to buy a Razr phone made JUST for Verizon or having to switch to AT&T for your iPhone.

But the other key two were not:

3) Open services: Google wanted third parties (resellers) to be able to acquire wireless services from a 700 MHz licensee on a wholesale basis, based on reasonably nondiscriminatory commercial terms. It would have spawned small, regional internet and cell-phone companies.

4) Open networks: Google wanted the right for third parties (like Internet service providers) to be able to interconnect at any technically feasible point in a 700 MHz licensee’s wireless network. Always a long-shot request, this would have had the greatest impact in bringing high-speed internet to more people - especially those who can afford it least.

Ultimately, analysts see this decision in favor of the Big 4. But the battle itself has cracked open a previously locked-down industry.

The question now is if Google will bow out, or fight with its wallet come January.

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Q. One of my big problems with all these cords? There aren’t enough outlets to plug in everything when I’m on the road. How do you handle this?

A. Well, I have to start by saying that the MoGo mouse does, of course, charge in the PC card slot.

Have you thought of converting to using a powered USB hub instead of power cords? Obviously, you always have to carry the adapter along with your laptop. But if you buy a portable USB hub, you can use it to recharge your cell phone, your PDA, your iPod, external hard drive or storage… frankly, most every business gadget I can think of.

It’s a little slower than plugging directly into a power outlet, but the cables are much more manageable.

And converting to using USB can be a lifesaver if you are traveling by car a lot and for on-sites where outlets are at a premium.

Just remember that the USB hub you buy should be the kind that needs an outlet. (Yes, a cord.) The non-powered ones aren’t usually strong enough to charge things. And you will want to test it before your next trip.

Good luck.

Q. I want to use my Bluetooth headset on a plane to listen to movies on my laptop. One airline says I can’t, a flight attendant on another said it was fine once in flight. Is it?

A. That’s a great question. The answer is not clearcut. In fact, what devices are legal on commercial flights has been topic of heated debate for years. (Phones, PDA’s, iPod’s, etc.)

My simple response has always been - do what the Flight Attendants tell you.

But if you’re truly curious about the law, then here’s the more complicated response.

The use of electronic devices on planes is actually governed by several organizations, chief among them the FAA (Federal Avaiation Administraion) and the FCC (Federal Communications Commission).

The FAA says, basically, “no portable electronic devices during take-off and landing and at the pilot’s discretion otherwise.”

The FCC restricts what bands can be used (such as those used by Bluetooth ). Unless the FCC has applied restrictions to the band, the decision is back in the hands of the pilot and flight crew.

Bluetooth’s official website doesn’t speak to the issue.

Most people, like the fictional Toby on the West Wing pilot episode, can get pretty frustrated by the seeming inconsistency of the rules and application. “We’re flying in a Lockheed eagle series L-1011. It came off the line 20 months ago and carries a Sim-5 Transponder tracking system. Are you telling me I can still flummox this thing with something I bought at Radio Shack?!”

If you feel that way, too, may I recommend a little light reading? Or: FAA rules regarding electronic devices

Elizabeth is a professional writer & geek with most of the last decade spent in senior management at a leading global IT provider. Thousands have attended her seminars in the US & Canada on subjects ranging from basic TCP/IP networking to high-end data storage solutions.

Got a question? Ask Elizabeth.

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If you’ve been waiting for the day when you’ll be allowed to use your cell phone while airborne, you should probably stop.

Because it isn’t going to happen anytime soon.

In March, the FCC announced that it has disbanded the investigation that would have possibly resulted in changing the rules about mobile phone usage in plane cabins.

While the reason for this decision was cited as ‘lack of evidence’ compelling a review on the subject, most road warriors (yes, including me) consider this the triumph of common sense - on two levels.

There is the safety issue. More than one pilot has traced technical malfunctions over the last 15 years or so to mobile phone usage in flight. And even a one-in-a-million chance is too much when you’re talking about the possibility of a problem 10,000 feet above the planet.

But then there is the practical reality. On a coach ticket, pressed closer to your neighbor than you ever got to your spouse while dressed, there is absolutely NO WAY one of you can slip out a phone and start yapping about whatever without the other turning into a homicidal maniac.

The flight itself has remained a sacred place of apartness. Where the office, the team, the deliverables, the deadline… can not reach you. OR your neighbor.

Bravo to the FCC for preserving the peace.

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