---
title: Mobile phone deception
date: "2005-02-02T12:00:00Z"
categories:
  - links
wp_id: 763
description: I explore mobile deception tools like SounderCover for fake background noise and services that trigger rescue calls. I'd personally value a feature that tells callers I'm unreachable rather than busy when I reject their incoming calls.
keywords: [mobile phones, deception, soundercover, rescue ring, telecom, fake calls]
---

The Economist talks about [how mobile phones are used for deception](http://www.economist.com/science/tq/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3423008).

> SounderCover allows certain Nokia handsets to play pre-recorded bursts of traffic noise, airport announcements or other sounds in the background during a conversation.
>
> Two services offered by American operators, Cingular's Escape-A-Date and Virgin Mobile's Rescue Ring, allow customers to prearrange a call at a given time, to enable them to get out of a disastrous dinner date or boring meeting.

I would personally like a service that says "This phone is unreachable" instead of an engaged sound, when I cut the call off.