Which Telecoms Store Your Data the Longest? Secret Memo Tells All

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/09/cellular-customer-data/

by phsr • 15 years ago

88 16 15 years ago

smoyer• 15 years ago

This is a nice enumeration of the details, but should we really be surprised at all that they're doing it? Compliance with CALEA requires that some of this information be retained in addition to the ability to tap communications.

masklinn• 15 years ago

> should we really be surprised at all that they're doing it?

I'm sure nobody is surprised about information retention in general from carriers, but the details are interesting.

It's essentially spelling out three things:

1. If you're calling people a lot, you should use Verizon: your call records will disappear within a year whereas others will keep them 2 (Sprint, T-Mobile prepaid) to 7 (AT&T post-paid) years.

2. Text message is a bit more complex, it's the same as calls for details but verizon is the only carriers storing the actual message for any length of time

3. If you're mostly using data, go with T-Mobile, ideally prepaid: they have the shortest cell tower history retention, don't keep any connection information and don't even keep bill copies (for post-paid). The downside is that they'll keep a log of your calls and messages for 2~5 years.

As you'd expect, AT&T is by far the worst (dead last in all categories but data connection session informations)

heliodor• 15 years ago

When you combine #3 with the free hotspot feature that allows you to not pay for that exorbitant home broadband connection, T-Mobile's a real winner!

jnorthrop2• 15 years ago

Please sure got up in arms when they found out Apple was doing this exact same thing earlier this year.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/apple-tracks-location-iphon...

jodrellblank• 15 years ago

Apple wasn't tracking anything, the logfile was stored locally on your phone. This information is stored centrally.

sek• 15 years ago

Facebook message content: Forever.

Sad to compare this to Telecoms.

justhw2• 15 years ago

I thought it gets permanently deleted from their database when you delete your account..no?

Edit: why the downvote? it's just a question. Chilax

uxp• 15 years ago

There are two kinds of deletions. The SQL DELETE command, and the boolean `deleted` field. Facebook is reported to use the latter.

yardie• 15 years ago

In response to the title I was going to go with ATT. I was not disappointed; they truly have no respect for you as a customer nor your privacy.

drpancake• 15 years ago

Storing your data is only scratching the surface of what these guys are up to.

See, for example: http://sensenetworks.com/macrosense.php

Disclaimer: I previously worked for a large carrier.

baltcode• 15 years ago

Is there a way to spam their records without running a huge bill in order to have them store a large number of random bits?

Which Telecoms Store Your Data the Longest? Secret Memo Tells All

Related Stories