[fleitz]

They are definitely more regulated than social network companies, fortunately though they've captured the regulator as predicted by economics so they get to seek rent instead of worrying about regulators.

The telecom industry has so effectively captured their regulator that when they are caught tapping phones without warrant they are exempted from lawsuits instead of prosecuted vigorously.

If you offered a non-compliant unlimited data/voice/voicemail plan for $20 a month you'd have people lined up around the block, no one would care your phone won't work with CALEA and no one would care that your address wasn't in the 911 database. You'd also be extremely profitable using off the shelf hardware like software radios, and non-compliant open source telephony software.

[Evbn]

The telcos weren't wiretapping for profit, but as an agent of the government. You got the direction of power backwards.

[fleitz]

I don't think you've seen a wiretapping bill...

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/04/03/these-a... "Wiretaps cost hundreds of dollars per target every month, generally paid at daily or monthly rates. To wiretap a customer’s phone, T-Mobile charges law enforcement a flat fee of $500 per target"

[jrockway]

Still cheaper than texting!

[lhnn]

I'd be happy my phone wasn't compatible with CALEA, I might care about 911 (else I'd have another tool/app to serve me) and as long as I can communicate, I'm not to concerned about scary "open source" stuff.