Cellular Repo Man

LateNiteTV sends in news of a "kill pill" from LM Ericsson AB that a wireless carrier could use to remotely disable a subsidized netbook if the customer doesn't pay the monthly bill or cancels their credit card. "...the Swedish company that makes many of the modems that go into laptops announced Tuesday that its new modem will deal with [the nonpayment] issue by including a feature that's virtually a wireless repo man. If the carrier has the stomach to do so, it can send a signal that completely disables the computer, making it impossible to turn on. ... Laptop makers that use Ericsson modules include LG Electronics Inc., Dell Inc., Toshiba Corp., and Lenovo." The feature could also be used to lock thieves out of the data on a stolen laptop.

Data Thief? ... More likely after the laptop part.

[Walpurgiss]

If a thief were really after your data, it'd be pretty trivial to remove the hard drive from the laptop, and just have to worry about encryption.

This feature won't help protect your data really, just make laptop itself a paperweight.

Re:bullshit

[Anonymous Coward]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123794137545832713.html

It's real.

Re:Stolen Laptop, yes. Data, No.

[LoRdTAW]

Most thefts aren't data thefts or other espionage related thefts. I would wager most notebook (and other electronic gadget) thefts are for profit thefts. A thief will swipe you laptop and try to hock it at a pawn shop or other crooked store that fronts stolen goods. Too many people start thinking "James Bond" without thinking in a more real world sense. Sure there are espionage related thefts but most electronic gadgetry thefts are by desperate individuals looking for fast cash. And those thieves are often junkies looking for a fix and will steal anything of value to get it.

Besides the article is talking about disabling notebooks that are subsidized by wireless broadband plans in which the customer stops paying for. Not stolen notebooks.

911?

[jgtg32a]

I was under the impression that all cell phones are required to be able to make 911 calls

Re:911?

[tagno25]

These are NOT cell phones, they are netbooks with cellular data connections.

Re:Here's a better idea

[Anonymous Coward]

Pay as you go plans are the price leaders in Germany. You get the cheapest per minute prices with plans that have no minimum contract term. Upfront costs are typically less than $10 for the SIM card and often count towards your balance. You can still get subsidized phones with pre- and post-payment plans, but the minutes are considerably more expensive and the phone is almost always locked to the SIM card.

It shouldn't come as a surprise: Customers will more easily switch to a cheaper competitor if they're not tied to a two year contract, so pay as you go plans must be much more price oriented to keep people from leaving. (It also helps competition that you can keep your phone number when you switch to a competitor.)

Re:Used car salesmen use the same thing

[Achromatic1978]

Apparently you are unaware of the concept of a loan. When you buy a car, do you have the title and registration? When you buy a house, and have a mortgage, you have the deed, not the bank.

Sure the bank or lender makes you sign a contract guaranteeing them the right to repossess the object if you fail to honor the payment agreement, but pretty key in that sentence is the word REpossess. They pass possession to you. Now it may also be that the property is the security on the loan, but again, security is a pretty specific concept in law. If the lender owns your property, they can sell it or dispose of it at any time, apropos of anything else. They don't. They retain the contractual right to reposess, claim or lien the security until you satisfy your debt. That is not the same thing.

Re:Can't pay for your car? Ride a bicycle!

[lena_10326]

Try managing with a bicycle with 2 kids, $300 trips to Costco, and doctor's appointments. You wouldn't last 1 day on a bike in that scenario... or even the bus slash taxi for that matter.