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Friday, July 15, 2011

How safe is your voicemail... and how safe is your phone?

Mark Bridge writes:

In this week’s podcast feature we’re joined by Jack Wraith, chief executive for the Telecommunications UK Fraud Forum and chairman of the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum.

He talks to Iain Graham about the current state of voicemail security and the improvements to mobile security we’ve seen in the last few years.

As Jack explains, the original process used for ‘voicemail hacking’ - listening to someone else’s messages on their answering service - is no longer possible. In the past, voicemail was automatically set up to allow customers to hear their messages remotely. You’d generally ring your own number, wait to hear your own voicemail answering message and then enter a 4-digit personal identification number. The big problem was that voicemail was set up with a default 4-digit PIN code on each network. (For example, all Vodafone handsets were preset to 3333). Although you were told to change your PIN, you didn’t need to. So, if you wanted to listen to someone else’s messages and knew what network they were using, you also knew what their default voicemail PIN was.

Fortunately, the process was changed several years ago. Exact details will vary between UK mobile networks… but the biggest change is that there’s no such thing as a default PIN for remote access. If you’re setting up a PIN code, you’ll need to make one up yourself – and you’ll often find that security features can only be changed from the mobile phone itself.

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Opinion Articles

Last week at The Fonecast: 21st January 2013

Slip slidin' away

Mark Bridge writes:

There’s plenty of snow disrupting the UK – but, thanks to the mobile telecoms industry, thousands upon thousands of people are able to work from home. We’re all feeling pretty pleased with ourselves right now, aren’t we?

Pedestrians may have been skating down pavements but a different kind of trouble on the high street dominated much of last week as music, DVD and occasional mobile phone retailer HMV went into administration.

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That application on your smartphone could kill you

New study looks at the accuracy of apps that provide feedback on medical conditions

Mark Bridge writes:

Smartphones and health are linked in many positive ways, from remote patient monitoring via a mobile network to applications that enhance medical education.

However, patients are being warned not to assume their smartphones are as smart as they might appear.

Author: The Fonecast
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"I am late middle-aged, not an idiot!"

Iain Graham writes:

“I am late middle-aged (ok I’m 62), not an idiot!”

This is a phrase I seem to be using more and more frequently, either out loud to bright young things or silently to myself in utter frustration of modern ‘must have’ gadgets.

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Last week at The Fonecast: 14th January 2012

Harder, better, faster, stronger...

Mark Bridge writes:

Oh, how the mobile industry loves a superlative. Much like the work ethic celebrated by Daft Punk (or Kanye West, if you prefer), it’s always looking for a new angle.

Author: The Fonecast
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TheFonecast.com newsletter: 7th January 2013

Time to catch up with everything mobile

Mark Bridge writes:

Happy New Year!  It’s been three weeks since our last newsletter and a fortnight since our podcast of mobile predictions for 2013, so there’s plenty to catch up with.

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Recent Podcasts

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Podcast - 15th January 2016

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge return to review their mobile industry predictions from last year. Which mergers, partnerships and developments did they forecast correctly... and which didn’t work out as planned?

Later in the programme, the team anticipates some of the topics that will be hitting the headlines during 2016.

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Podcast from Mobile World Congress 2015

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We're taking a look back at the biggest mobile industry news stories from February 2015, including allegations that the UK's security service tried to breach SIM card security by hacking into one of the world's biggest SIM producers.

We also talk about the planned BT and EE merger, the creation of two new UK virtual networks, some acquisitions in the mobile payment arena and a new Ubuntu smartphone.

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Interview with Chris Millington of Doro about mobile retailing, wearables and technology for older consumers

Podcast - 24th February 2015

In today's programme Mark Bridge talks to Chris Millington, who's Managing Director for Doro UK and Ireland.

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A month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

Podcast - 30th January 2015

We're back with a month of mobile industry news, including takeover talks and takeover rumours. O2 and Three are said to be discussing a merger... but is there any truth in the suggestions that BlackBerry could be up for grabs?

We also discuss Apple's record-breaking quarterly figures, the highlights of CES and the launch of Microsoft Windows 10, as well as saying farewell to the current version of Google Glass.

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