First-generation technology

The analog mobile phone networks originally rolled out in the 1980s are first-generation (1G) networks. You may remember the original analog handsets, about the size of a brick with two-foot-long telescoping antennas. 1G network carry voice traffic only, and data transmission. Analog handsets convert sound waves from voice to an analogous electrical signal (hence the term analog) and broadcast the signal in the clear, with no encryption. Because analog networks broadcast calls in the clear, 1G networks are not secure and it is possible to intercept calls with a radio frequency scanner.

Note:The following case illustrates the vulnerability of 1G networks. In Florida, on December 21, 1996, a couple using a police scanner was able to eavesdrop on and tape a call broadcast on a 1G network. This call was between then House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R), Representative Bill Paxon (R-N.Y), House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas), Gingrich's Chief of Staff Dan Meyer, Ed Gillespie
(Communications Director for the Republican National Committee), and attorney Ed Bethune. They were orchestrating a GOP counterattack to the charges that Speaker Gingrich was facing from the House Ethics Committee. This phone conversation was in violation of an agreement that Speaker Gingrich had with the Ethics Committee. The couple supplied the tape to an unidentified Democratic member of Congress, who likewise supplied it to the New York Times. Because of the interception of this call, Speaker Gingrich suffered a lot of political damage, and the press had a field day with the story.

1G technology is obsolete and been replaced by newer networks in most locations. There are some 1G networks still in operation in remote parts of the country, and in some places overseas. While traveling, you may actually connect through these networks, even with newer digital phones; however, advanced features such as messaging and data are usually unavailable while roaming in analog mode.

Insider insight: All mobile phones have a unique set of identifiers that are used to authenticate them on a network and route calls. Cloning is illegally copying one cell phone's identifiers onto another phone, allowing the user of a cloned phone to make calls on a victim's account without paying. When 1G (analog) system was common, fraud from cloning was a real problem.

Analog phones broadcasted their identifiers in the clear with no encryption. Criminals could use modified scanners to capture cell phone data, and then copy it onto illegal, cloned phones. Criminals often collected thousands of numbers in a single day, and the revenue lost to fraud was substantial.

The use of digital PCS has reduced the incident of cloning, but it hasn't been eliminated. Digital phones don't broadcast in the dear; they use digital encoding or encryption to secure all voice and data transmitted. However, when PCS phones roam between networks, or are using an analog cell tower (in analog roam) it's possible to capture the identifiers and use them to done a phone.

Criminals can done some phones with just the area code, phone number and the system ID. The system ID is unique to a specific carrier, in a particular geographic area. It is unlikely that you will ever be a victim of this form of fraud, but knowing about it will increase your awareness and allow you to stay alert to the possibility.

1G networks presented a range of technologies, including the following systems and services:

- Advanced mobile phone service Advanced mobile phone service (AMPS) is a 1G technology originally tested in the late 1970s, and later became a commercial service in the early 1980s. AMPS used a technology called frequency division multiple access (FDMA) that divided the 800 MHz radio band used by AMPS into 30 kHz channels. Each call on an AMPS network required a dedicated channel. Increasing capacity on an AMPS network required adding channels. AMPS was the primary mobile phone service in North America prior to the arrival of second-generation (2G) networks.

- Cellular digital packet data Cellular digital packet data (CDPD) is a technology developed as an add-on to 1G cellular networks. CDPD allows a 1G analog network to handle digital packet data, although at only 19 Kbps. CDPD modems are available for notebook computers and PDAs. CDPD service is available from several different wireless carriers in the U.S.

- Total access communication system Total access communication system (TACS) is an analog 1G network that was developed in Europe in the late 1970s. TACS is modeled after AMPS, and like the U.S. network used FDMA. In the U.K., a version of TACS called ETACS (extended TACS) was widely used.