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US operators agree to mobile phone 'kill switch'
2014-04-15 22:52:00| Telecompaper Headlines
(Telecompaper) US mobile industry group CTIA and participating operators have announced the 'Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Commitment', an effort by the industry to deter smartphone thefts in the US. Each device manufacturer and operating system signatory of Part One of this commitment agrees that new models of smartphones first manufactured after July 2015 for retail sale in the US will offer, at no cost to consumers, a baseline anti-theft tool that is preloaded or downloadable on smartphones. This provides the connected capability to remote wipe the user's data on the smartphone in the event it is lost or stolen, render the smartphone inoperable to an unauthorised user except in accordance with FCC rules for 911 emergency communications, prevent reactivation without the authorised user's permission to the extent technologically feasible, reverse the inoperability if the smartphone is recovered by the authorised user and restore user data on the smartphone to the extent feasible. The following companies are participating in the voluntary commitment: Apple, Asurion, AT&T, Google, HTC America, Huawei Device USA, Motorola Mobility, Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung Telecommunications America, Sprint, T-Mobile USA, US Cellular and Verizon Wireless.
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Category:Telecommunications