[__RemObS_________________________] 
by the Jolly Roger 

Some of you may have
heard of devices called Remobs which stands for Remote Observation System.
These Devices allow supposedly authorized telephone employees to dial into
them from anywhere, and then using an ordinary touch tone fone, tap into a
customer's line in a special receive only mode. [The mouthpiece circuit is
deactivated, allowing totally silent observation from any fone in the world
(Wire tapping without a court order is against the law)] 

[__How Remobs Work______________]
Dial the number of a Remob unit. Bell is rumored to put
them in the 555 information exchanges, or on special access trunks
[Unreachable except via blue box]. A tone will then be heard for
approximately 2 seconds and then silence. You must key in (In DTMF) a 2 to 5
digit access code while holding each digit down at least 1 second. If the
code is not entered within 5 or 6 seconds, the Remob will release and must
be dialed again. If the code is correct, supposedly another tone will be heard.
A seven digit subscriber fone number can then be entered [The Remob can only
handle certain 'exchanges' which are prewired, so usually one machine cannot
monitor an entire NPA]. The Remob will then connect to the subscribers line.
The listener will hear the low level idle tone as long as the monitored
party is on hook. As the monitored party dials [rotary or DTMF], the
listener would hear [And Record] the number being dialed. Then the ENTIRE
conversation, datalink, whatever is taking place, all without detection.
There is no current box which can detect Remob observation, since it is
being done with the telephone equipment that makes the connection. When the
listener is finished monitoring of that particular customer, he keys the
last digit of the access code to disconnects him from the monitored line and
return to the tone so that he can key in another 7 digit fone #. When the
listener is totally finished with the Remob, he keys a single 'disconnect
digit' which disconnects him from the Remob so that the device can reset and
be ready for another caller. 

[_History of Remobs_______________] 
Bell has
kept the existance of Remobs very low key. Only in 1974, Bell acknowledged
that Remobs existed. The device was first made public during hearings on
"Telephone Monitoring Practices by Federal Agencies" before a subcommittee
on government operations. House of Representatives, Ninety-Third Congress,
June 1974. It has since been stated by Bell that the Remob devices are used
exclusively for monitoring Bell employees such as operators, information
operators, etc., to keep tabs on their performance. [Suuureee, were stupid]
[__Possible Uses for Remobs__] The possible uses of Remobs are almost as
endless as the uses of self created fone line. Imagine the ability to
monitor bank lines etc, just off the top of my head I can think of these
applications: Data Monitoring of: TRW National Credit Bureau AT&T Cosmos
Bank Institutions Compuserve and other Networks. Voice Monitoring of: Bank
Institutions Mail Order buisnesses. Bell Telephone themselves. Any place
handling sensitive or important information. Anyone that you may not like.
With just one Remob, someone could get hundreds of credit cards, find out
who was on vacation, get compuserve passwords by the dozens, disconnect
peoples fones, do credit checks, find out about anything that they may want
to find out about. Im sure you brilliant can see the value of a telephone
hobbiest and a telecommunications enthusist getting his hands on a few
choice Remobs. 

[_Caution________________________] If any reader should
discover a Remob during his (or her) scanning excursions, please keep in
mind the very strict federal laws regarding wiretapping and unauthorized use
of private Bell property. -= Exodus =-