Wireless

摘要

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sent letters to five wireless carriers asking for informationrnon their decision to prohibit Samsung from pre-loading an opt-out “kill switch” application on approvedrnsmartphones, he said in a news release Wednesday (http://bit.ly/1bvQMNS). The kill switch featurernwould enable “legitimate” smartphone users to “brick” their stolen phones remotely and “render them permanentlyrninoperable when they fall into the wrong hands,” said Schneiderman. In the letters to the CEOs ofrnAT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon, Schneiderman wrote that the industry’s parallel rejectionrnof Samsung’s kill switch proposal is problematic (http://bit.ly/IPS1Rh). “First, smartphone robbery isrnrampant nationwide, posing a serious risk to the safety and well-being of your customers,” said Schneiderman.rnSince carriers have not accepted a Samsung proposal or offered an alternative kill-switch technology,rnSchneiderman said he finds this “troubling.” In his letters, Schneiderman asks each company for informationrnon: Whether they have communicated or entered into an agreement with phone insurer Asurion, CTIArnor any competing wireless carrier on the Samsung proposal or other kill-switch technologies; the nature andrnextent of such agreements or communications; and each company’s business rationale for rejecting thernSamsung proposal while approving phones featuring Apple’s Activation Lock. Schneiderman is asking allrnfive companies to respond by Dec. 31. CTIA General Counsel Michael Altschul said Schneiderman's allegationsrnare inaccurate. “Any assertion that CTIA and its member companies have done anything other thanrnmove as quickly as possible to work with the FCC, law enforcement officials from major cities, and otherrnpolicymakers to develop the proactive, multifaceted approach of databases, technology, consumer education,rnlegislation and international partnerships to remove the aftermarket for stolen phones is false," said Altschul.rn"We encourage consumers to use currently available apps and features that remotely wipe, track and lockrntheir devices in case they are lost or stolen, and our members are continuing to explore and offer new technologies to address these crimes while not inadvertently creating a ‘trap door’ that hackers and cybercriminalsrncould exploit. We also support Senator [Chuck] Schumer’s, [D-N.Y.], legislation that would imposerntough penalties on those who steal devices or illegally modify the unique device identifiers since it wouldrnhelp dry up the market for those who traffic in stolen devices.”