Government first mandated that cell phones carry a GPS for 911 purposes and now they want the cell makers to explain why the units have tracking software?
"the US Government mandated that all cell phones be "GPS enabled" by the end of 2005 (as part of the E911 effort)" This same mandate means that the mobile telephone manufacturers either have to include circuitry to turn on the GPS chip any time 911 is dialed...or they need to leave the GPS transmitter on all the time. Check your specific phone to see what it does.
-- Garmin 38 - Magellan Gold - Garmin Yellow eTrex - Nuvi 260 - Nuvi 2460LMT - Google Nexus 7 - Toyota Entune NAV
I retired from 34 years in IT for an electric utility. Data about customers is highly secure. I couldn't hack into it if I tried. Nobody is going to know when you use your electric toothbrush or flush your toilet.
The purposes of a smart grid are to allow predictions as to energy consumption peaks to schedule generation and power purchases from other utilities. Some power circuits can be setup with reduced rates for heavy usage appliances like your air conditioning, to smooth out the peaks, or to provide discounts for electric driers and hot water heaters that are only available off-peak. At night, the problem is that minimum power levels are better provided at a cheap rate than taking generation offline that takes hours to bring back on the grid.
But back to the OP, most cell phones allow the GPS locator to be shut down and only activated when a 911 call is placed. That is in yours and my best interest. If you have an emergency, wouldn't you want services to know where you were?
-- Zumo 550 & Zumo 665
My alarm clock is sunshine on chrome.
I think I would like to choose if I wanted to turn on any gps device, regardless if it is for personal or emergency use.
Safety and security is fine, but we have forgotten about a lot of important principals, among them "Don't Tread on Me.
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness have taken us a long way. Somehow americans were able to cross oceans, build shelter from trees, and even connect the coasts without omnipresent emergency services.
I'd just like to have my options back.
-- MrKenFL-
"Money can't buy you happiness .. But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." NUVI 260, Nuvi 1490LMT & Nuvi 2595LMT all with 2014.4 maps !
I'll have to put on my tin-foil hat to listen to that guy.
Thanks for the warning. I almost didn't put on my foil hat.
My friend REQUESTED a smart meter so he could heat his electric water tank at night at a lower rate. He says his bill went down about $40 per month.
Another thing (this one really does bother me). Commonwealth Edison (an Excelon Company) in Illinois wants to significantly hike electricity rates to pay for their infrastructure upgrades. These seem to be the upgrades that they haven't been making for the last 50 years or so. What did they do instead? Executive bonuses?
Anyway. Back to the GPS in the phone.
You "should" be able to disable the GPS except for 911 calls. A cop friend of mine said that you still need to ask for help (tracking of your phone) if you want the police to show up where your phone is. They would need a search warrant otherwise. That would tell them where your phone was when you were attacked. So, if you call 911 on your cell phone, let them know you are in danger and need police at the location of your phone. Try to say where you are too, if you can. It's not always possible under duress.
As far as tracking software goes, you have to have access to the handset to install it. If someone is stalking you, you need to limit physical access to your phone to people you trust as well as regularly check what is installed on your phone.
Did anybody ever get a definitive answer to the question, "what's the frequency Kenneth"?
Instead of telling the electric company what you are doing why not just put in a timer to turn on and off your electric water heater.
I have had a timer on my electric water heater for over 20 years. Before retirement, it turned on at 5:45 AM and turned off at 7 AM for us to get ready for work and wash the dishes. It turned back on at 4 PM for evening use and then turned off at 8:30 PM. ( the water will be still hot at 10PM). We made our schedule go with the timer.
This also is good for vacations for at a flick of a switch your water heater will be off until you return.
Now that we are retired I have the timer turn on at 7 AM and turn of at 9:30 AM and turn back on at 4PM and off at 8 PM.
My utility bill with whole house air conditioning is very low compared to many of my friends.
both sides of their mouth
Government first mandated that cell phones carry a GPS for 911 purposes and now they want the cell makers to explain why the units have tracking software?
"the US Government mandated that all cell phones be "GPS enabled" by the end of 2005 (as part of the E911 effort)" This same mandate means that the mobile telephone manufacturers either have to include circuitry to turn on the GPS chip any time 911 is dialed...or they need to leave the GPS transmitter on all the time. Check your specific phone to see what it does.
Garmin 38 - Magellan Gold - Garmin Yellow eTrex - Nuvi 260 - Nuvi 2460LMT - Google Nexus 7 - Toyota Entune NAV
I can live without a cell phone.....
...but it's tougher for me to live without electricity at home...
I'm talking about Smart Meters some companies install.
Big Brother in action or just another source of revenue?
http://goldsilver.com/video/smart-meters/
Ron
I'll have to put on my
I'll have to put on my tin-foil hat to listen to that guy.
Zumo 550 & Zumo 665 My alarm clock is sunshine on chrome.
I agree with you!
I used 2 layers of tin foil.
Wish I had a better source...
Ron
I retured from 34 years in
I retired from 34 years in IT for an electric utility. Data about customers is highly secure. I couldn't hack into it if I tried. Nobody is going to know when you use your electric toothbrush or flush your toilet.
The purposes of a smart grid are to allow predictions as to energy consumption peaks to schedule generation and power purchases from other utilities. Some power circuits can be setup with reduced rates for heavy usage appliances like your air conditioning, to smooth out the peaks, or to provide discounts for electric driers and hot water heaters that are only available off-peak. At night, the problem is that minimum power levels are better provided at a cheap rate than taking generation offline that takes hours to bring back on the grid.
But back to the OP, most cell phones allow the GPS locator to be shut down and only activated when a 911 call is placed. That is in yours and my best interest. If you have an emergency, wouldn't you want services to know where you were?
Zumo 550 & Zumo 665 My alarm clock is sunshine on chrome.
No, not really
I think I would like to choose if I wanted to turn on any gps device, regardless if it is for personal or emergency use.
Safety and security is fine, but we have forgotten about a lot of important principals, among them "Don't Tread on Me.
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness have taken us a long way. Somehow americans were able to cross oceans, build shelter from trees, and even connect the coasts without omnipresent emergency services.
I'd just like to have my options back.
A song rings in my head !
" It don't matter to me ! "
MrKenFL- "Money can't buy you happiness .. But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." NUVI 260, Nuvi 1490LMT & Nuvi 2595LMT all with 2014.4 maps !
Thanks for the warning.
I'll have to put on my tin-foil hat to listen to that guy.
Thanks for the warning. I almost didn't put on my foil hat.
My friend REQUESTED a smart meter so he could heat his electric water tank at night at a lower rate. He says his bill went down about $40 per month.
Another thing (this one really does bother me). Commonwealth Edison (an Excelon Company) in Illinois wants to significantly hike electricity rates to pay for their infrastructure upgrades. These seem to be the upgrades that they haven't been making for the last 50 years or so. What did they do instead? Executive bonuses?
Anyway. Back to the GPS in the phone.
You "should" be able to disable the GPS except for 911 calls. A cop friend of mine said that you still need to ask for help (tracking of your phone) if you want the police to show up where your phone is. They would need a search warrant otherwise. That would tell them where your phone was when you were attacked. So, if you call 911 on your cell phone, let them know you are in danger and need police at the location of your phone. Try to say where you are too, if you can. It's not always possible under duress.
As far as tracking software goes, you have to have access to the handset to install it. If someone is stalking you, you need to limit physical access to your phone to people you trust as well as regularly check what is installed on your phone.
Did anybody ever get a definitive answer to the question, "what's the frequency Kenneth"?
Congress wants to know about tracking
Are police using cell phone towers to track?
Forbes magazine
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/05/17/reminde...
1490LMT 1450LMT 295w
That electric meter.
Instead of telling the electric company what you are doing why not just put in a timer to turn on and off your electric water heater.
I have had a timer on my electric water heater for over 20 years. Before retirement, it turned on at 5:45 AM and turned off at 7 AM for us to get ready for work and wash the dishes. It turned back on at 4 PM for evening use and then turned off at 8:30 PM. ( the water will be still hot at 10PM). We made our schedule go with the timer.
This also is good for vacations for at a flick of a switch your water heater will be off until you return.
Now that we are retired I have the timer turn on at 7 AM and turn of at 9:30 AM and turn back on at 4PM and off at 8 PM.
My utility bill with whole house air conditioning is very low compared to many of my friends.