Pogue's Post

Free Overseas Phone Calls

Make all the overseas phone calls you want for free. And not using Skype or some other sit-at-your-computer geekiness, either. I’m talking about picking up your phone and dialing an international phone number for free. Incredibly, that’s exactly what a company called Futurephone is offering. The possible catch: you reach Futurephone’s international dial tone by calling a number in Iowa, which is a domestic call that you have to pay for.

Truth is, I don’t know what Futurephone’s game is here. They say they’re giving away the calls in order to “build up the company’s brand-name recognition. Our plan is to offer additional services in the future.” And they promise that this freebie will be in place for at least three years, through 2010.

A bunch of you had a reaction that surprised me: "I wonder how much data they'll harvest? Not just phone numbers but also the content of the conversations."
OK, what?
So you mean the whole operation is a giant phone number collection scam? Meaning that Futurephone will use caller ID to find out *your* number? Or do you think they're more interested in collecting the numbers you're *calling*--in China and Estonia?

OK, I'm as interested in privacy as the next person. But if someone were interested in harvesting phone numbers, why would he go to the trouble of launching this elaborate phone-services company? Wouldn't it be infinitely more efficient just to pick up a tidy, complete, ready-to-harvest, pre-compiled list of phone numbers--a little thing called the *phone book*?

And then the bit about listening in to your calls. Well, sure, I guess Futurephone could theoretically listen in to your calls. But why stop being neurotic right there? Why not worry about Skype listening in to your Skype calls? And Verizon, Cingular, T-Mobile and Sprint? And your long-distance and home-phone companies? Heck, someone might have bugged the room you're in at this very moment!

This all reminds me of a recent e-mail from a reader who wanted to know if it's possible to get a cellphone that encrypts your conversation so nobody can eavesdrop on the line.

The bottom line: Worrying that Futurephone might have secret plans to invade your privacy is like repairing the screen door when all your windows are wide open. If you're going to be paranoid, at least focus on the real threats; there are plenty of those to go around.