Google Android Users signaling their location data to advertisers via their downloaded apps
Google is now coming up with software that can not only track you but can also tell what you are doing at what point of time. Yes Google can now track millions of Android users who have been unintentionally signaling their location data to advertisers via downloaded apps. Google revealed that a full half of all the geo-aware apps available in Android market may be sending back location information that then ends up with companies who want to target advertising.
According to Researchers at Intel, Duke and Penn State universities in the US, they surveyed 30 of the most popular Android apps which seek permission to access the target phone’s location. They found that 15 of them were sending that information on to ad networks – all without asking permission from the app users or mentioning anything about the technique in the end-user license agreements (EULAs) that nobody ever reads following the download.
If reports are to be believed, this app can expose the device ID, sometimes with the phone number and the SIM card serial number.
Google indicates that Android downloaded apps all ask permission of the user to access various parts of their phones. This is true, but hypocritical. The Android permissions are just very technical requests which give no clue as to the purpose that such permissions will be put.
Whatever the case is, if this app comes into being it can create a lot of trouble for users as well as for itself as this caters the privacy part of the people.
Majority of SIM cards sold in Mumbai are registered with fake documents (India)
The latest survey conducted by Mumbai Police revealed that 60% of prepaid SIM cards are acquired using fake documents.
According to Sanjeev Dalal, Mumbai Police Commissioner, Out of the 15,000 mobile connections surveyed, six in every 10 connections had submitted fake address and identity proof. It is worrying to find out that 60% of the 15,000 prepaid SIM cards were issued by vendors without proper verification of documents.
While telecom companies are going hard on mobile SIM resellers to achieve the set target of SIM card sales, Dalal commented that the resellers or vendors need to follow the rules and regulations with proper verification of address and documents of the SIM card buyer.
The police came into action after an email allegedly sent by the banned group Indian Mujahideen owning up the responsibility for the attacks outside the historic Jama Masjid in the national capital.
Internet connection of a mobile phone that had Tata Doccomo SIM card was used to send the email soon after the attacks outside the Jama Masjid. It was not clear if either prepaid or post-paid SIM card was used to send the mail.
Swan partners Telefonica O2 to start network service
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Slovak alternative operator Swan entered into partnership with Telefonica O2 Slovakia to start prepaid mobile services under its own brand. Any call made to the O2 network and all Slovak fixed networks will cost EUR 0.06 per minute and to any other network will cost EUR 0.12 per minute. Per second billing will be applicable only after first minute.
Fixed wireless, Wimax and an optical backbone network with IP MPLS will be used to provide existing data and voice services provided by Swan. SMS, MMS and data services are also included in the offer.
Free CLIP, CLIR, call holding and blockage, and information on missed calls by SMS or MMS free of charge along with access to internet or bulk SMS, MMS and international calls are also in the offer.
The service will be available by the end of year and more widely from January 2010 and the SIM will cost EUR 6, including credit of EUR 5. A Christmas offer has been given according to which, if the customers activate electronic invoicing they will get a SIM card for the new Swan Mobile service free of charge.
TATA india to offer SIM cards on its CDMA network
Oberthur Technologies the world’s second largest provider of Smart Card based solutions today announced the commercialization of its OMHTM (Open Market Handsets) SIM cards for CDMA (Code Development Multiple Access) networks. OMH SIM cards contain subscriber, network and service configuration data that allow subscribers the freedom to easily change and upgrade their handset, but maintain their network configuration.
Oberthur Technologies collaborated with Tata Teleservices Limited, one of India’s fastest growing private telecom service providers, and Qualcomm Incorporated, a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on CDMA and other advanced technologies, to introduce OMHTM SIM cards into the India market.
Olivier Leroux, Head of the Mobile Product Line for the Card Systems Division at Oberthur Technologies said, “Oberthur Technologies is the first to commercially launch OMHTM SIM cards. We are pleased to partner with industry leaders such as Tata Teleservices and Qualcomm who are enhancing the subscriber experience for Indian consumers.”
The OMHTM SIM card, referred to as a removable user identity module (R-UIM), is a state of the art smartcard that stores operator and subscriber specific configuration parameters, separate from the handset memory. By having this configuration parameters located on the OMHTM SIM card rather than the device, subscribers can more easily switch or upgrade their handsets. These cards allow CDMA network operators to increase the selection of devices and services while lowering distribution and inventory costs.
“These are exciting times in the Indian telecom space where innovation, research and development are the key to success and remain competitive in the business. In our constant effort to redefine the telecom space keeping customers at the central point, Tata Teleservices decided to partner with Qualcomm and Oberthur Technologies to further develop the Open Market Handset initiative and offer more choice to customers”, said Lloyd Mathias, Chief Marketing Officer, Tata Teleservices Limited.
“Qualcomm is pleased to work with Oberthur Technologies for its leadership as one of the first companies to develop OMH SIM cards,” said Nakul Duggal, Senior Director and OMH Project Lead, Qualcomm Corporate Engineering Services. “The OMH initiative is focused on increasing device variety by offering new channels and distribution options within the CDMA ecosystem to provide greater subscriber flexibility.”
About Oberthur Technologies
With sales of 882 million Euros in 2008, Oberthur Technologies is a world leader in the field of secure technologies. Innovation and high quality services ensure Oberthur Technologies’ strong positioning in its main target markets:
– Card Systems: The world’s second largest provider of security and identification based on smart card technology and associated services for mobile, payment, transport, digital TV and convergence markets. – Identity: Leading international supplier for the manufacture and personalization of secure identity documents such as passport, identity card, driving license or health care card – traditional and electronic – and associated services for both governmental and corporate markets. – Security printing: World’s third largest private security printer specialized in high security for the production of banknotes, checks and other fiduciary documents in more than fifty countries. – Cash protection: World leader in the emerging market of intelligent systems to secure cash-in-transit and ATM.
Close to its customers, Oberthur Technologies benefits from an industrial and commercial presence across all five continents.
Oberthur Technologies S.A. is a limited liability company (societe anonyme) registered in France with its registered office at 50 quai Michelet 92 532 Levallois Perret, France. Oberthur Technologies S.A.’s corporate registration number is 340 709 534 R.C.S. Paris.
Website: http://www.oberthur.com
About Tata Teleservices Limited
Tata Teleservices Limited is one of India’s leading private telecom service providers, having a pan-India presence across all of India’s 22 telecom Circles. The company offers integrated telecom solutions to its customers under the Tata Indicom, Tata DOCOMO, Photon and Walky brands, and uses both the CDMA and GSM technology platform(s) for its wireless networks. Tata Teleservices Limited, along with Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Limited, operates in more than 325,000 towns and villages across the country. In November 2008, Tata Teleservices entered into an agreement with Japanese telecom major NTT DOCOMO, and this transaction marks a key step in the strategic evolution of Tata Teleservices Limited. Tata DOCOMO has so far launched GSM services in eight telecom Circles, and the remaining part of the country is also expected to be covered shortly. In December 2008, Tata Teleservices announced a unique reverse equity swap strategic agreement between its fully-owned telecom tower subsidiary-Wireless TT Info-Services Limited-and Quippo Telecom Infrastructure Limited, thereby becoming the largest independent entity in this space. Tata Teleservices’ bouquet of telephony services includes mobile services, wireless desktop phones, public booth telephony and Wireline services.
For details, visit http://www.tatateleservices.com, http://www.tatadocomo.com or http://www.tataindicom.com.
About Qualcomm
Qualcomm is a registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
MTS India joins CDMA Development Group
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: MTS, the mobile telephony services brand of Sistema Shyam TeleServices Ltd (SSTL), announced that it has joined the CDMA Development Group (CDG), an international consortium of CDMA service providers and manufacturers, application developers and content providers. Founded in December 1993, the CDG has more than 140 members worldwide, including operators, equipment vendors, application developers, content providers and other telecommunications companies that work together to ensure interoperability among systems while expediting the adoption of CDMA2000 wireless systems across the globe.
The association with CDG will help MTS to interact with industry decision makers and innovators from CDMA service providers and manufacturers worldwide, and will give critical insights into the CDMA technology, industry patterns, customer buying patterns and customer needs. MTS will be able to network with the pioneers of CDMA technology in this space and discuss industry trends, roadblocks and future technologies on the CDMA platform.
Making the announcement, Vsevolod Rozanov, President and CEO of Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited, said, MTS India is currently launching CDMA2000 services very aggressively across different telecom circles of the country.‚ As a consortium of international CDMA service providers and manufacturers, CDG provides the right platform for MTS India to connect with the global CDMA community. We can share our experiences and also learn about new emerging technologies. Our participation in CDG also reinstates our long-term commitment to CDMA in India and ensures that the benefits of latest breakthroughs in CDMA technology can percolate through the diaspora of both the urban as well as the vastly untapped rural population of the nation.
Second operator mobile network goes into tentative operation
Minister of Defense Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar said on Monday that the second operator mobile network went into tentative operation in Tabriz as of Sunday.Mohammad-Najjar made the remark on Monday on the occasion of the first anniversary of President Ahmadinejad’s tenure in office.
`Sa-Iran, which is affiliated to the Defense Ministry, is one of the three main local shareholders in the country’s second mobile operator which is assigned to offer 16 million mobile telephone lines to subscribers over a period of fifteen years.
Irancel were obliged to start selling mobile SIM cards with 0925 and 0926 codes from August 28 and to provide 2.2 million subscriptions at 1,500,000 rials in 248 cities until November 27.
Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Mahmoud Khosravi referring to the tentative operation of the second operator mobile network, said that Irancel would start offering its services to the public from December.
Source- http://www.irna.ir
Technorati : Iran, Irancel, Mobile
Ice Rocket : Iran, Irancel, Mobile
