Re: [Fwd: [IP] Feds: VoIP a potential haven for terrorists]

["Steven M. Bellovin" <smb () research att com>]

In message <Pine.GSO.4.58.0406191533030.384 () clifden donelan com>, Sean Donelan 
writes:
> On Sat, 19 Jun 2004, Steven M. Bellovin wrote:
> > There's a lot more to it than that -- there's also access without
> > involving telco personnel, and possibly the ability to do many more
> > wiretaps (have you looked at the capacity requirements lately), but
> > funding is certainly a large part of it.  From Section (e) of
> > http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/2518.html :
> >
> >      Any provider of wire or electronic communication service,
> >      landlord, custodian or other person furnishing such facilities
> >      or technical assistance shall be compensated therefor by the
> >      applicant for reasonable expenses incurred in providing such
> >      facilities or assistance.
>
> That is not part of CALEA.

I know; that's precisely my point.  (CALEA is 18 USC 2522, I believe.)  
The passage I quoted is from the older wiretap law -- and it requires 
the government to pick up the costs.  As you note below, that cost was 
shifted by CALEA.
> Carriers found to be covered by CALEA must provide certain capabilities
> to law enforcement.  For telecommunication equipment, facilities or
> services deployed after January 1 1995 the carrier must pay all reasonable
> costs to provide the capabilities.
>
> The capacity requirements are interesting.  In some cases, the carrier is
> required to have more law enforcement tapping capacity than customer
> capacity.  The government sets the capacit requirements without any
> regard for the cost of maintaining the capacity.  If there are multiple
> competitive carriers in the same area, all of the carriers must have the
> same capacity. If you have a single customer in Los Angeles, you must
> provide the capacity for at least 1,360 simultaneous interceptions.  How
> many SPAN ports do you have?
>
> As I mentioned, the wiretap acts and CALEA are really independent.


                --Steve Bellovin, http://www.research.att.com/~smb