Qwest was allegedly the lone holdout and did NOT allow NSA spying! - Switch your service!

[Breeze54]

Qwest

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qwest#NSA_spying

NSA spying

In May 2006, USA Today reported that millions of telephone calling records had been handed over to the United States National Security Agency by AT&T Corp., Verizon, and BellSouth since September 11, 2001. This data has been used to create a database of all international and domestic calls. Qwest was allegedly the lone holdout, despite threats from the NSA that their refusal to cooperate may jeopardize future government contracts <5>, a decision which has earned them praise from those who oppose the NSA program <6>.

A federal judge on August 17, 2006 ruled that the government's domestic eavesdropping program is unconstitutional and ordered it ended immediately. The Bush Administration has filed an appeal in the case which has yet to be heard in court. <7>

Former Qwest CEO Joseph Nacchio, who was convicted of insider trading in April 2007, alleged in appeal documents that the NSA requested that Qwest participate in its wiretapping program more than six months before September 11, 2001. Nacchio recalls the meeting as occurring on February 27, 2001. Nacchio further claims that the NSA cancelled a lucrative contract with Qwest as a result of Qwest's refusal to participate in the wiretapping program<8>.

[Eurobabe]

1. How are VoIP providers affected by this

like Vonage or the new magicjack? Just curious, if anyone knows.

I haven't had a landline phone for 5 years.

[Breeze54]

6. Use throw away cellphones when calling outside the US

Voice over Internet Protocol still uses your ISP service lines, doesn't it?!

[Eurobabe]

10. well, my ISP

is t-online.

[niyad]

2. I have wondered for some time how much the prosecution of naccio had to do with this--

granted, the man is a jerk, but in this, at least, he acted in the best interests of the people.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Yes it did

[Parche]

3. So They Were Doing This In Febree 2001

So that probably means, they knew about 9/11 happening.....???

:shrug: :hi:

[Breeze54]

5. Seems like a reasonable assumption to me!!!

:grr:

[THX1138]

7. I went

to Quest's website to look into switching, however I'm seeing a lot of references to Verizon and Sprint. What's up with that? Are they partnered with them or something? Verizon is clearly not one of the good guys here. Don't know about Sprint, but since Quest is listed as the "lone" holdout, I'm guessing they're not much better.

[Breeze54]

8. They resell Sprint wireless services & DirecTV service

snip-->

The Wireless Services segment, through an agreement with a subsidiary of The Sprint Nextel Corporation, resells Sprint wireless services, including access to Sprint’s nationwide personal communications service wireless network, to consumer and business customers primarily within its local service area. Qwest also partners with DirecTV to provide digital television service to its customers. In Phoenix, Denver, and Omaha, Qwest offers Qwest Choice TV. The Other Services segment primarily involves the sublease of real estate assets, such as space in office buildings, warehouses, and other properties.

More at link... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qwest#NSA_spying

[Hawkeye-X]

9. Qwest is our main provider here in Colorado

Arizona, NM as I recall correctly.

Dunno about Qwest selling on other states. Certainly Minnesota (as I remember Qwest there), but not much else. In Chicago, it was serviced by SBC/AT&T.

[Breeze54]

11. QWEST corporate hdgtrs is in Denver.

Looks like I can't get any service from them right now. :(

Verizon has a monopoly on MA! :grr:

[Hawkeye-X]

12. Qwest has a monopoly here.

Used to be called US West.... and Mountain Bell....

(We used to call it MaBell)

[Breeze54]

13. Yeah! We had Ma Bell here too! Now it's Verizon...

:grr:

[lonestarnot]

14. I also thought TMobile was a hold-out or were they just not asked to give it up?

[Breeze54]

15. I don't know... are they a subsidiary of the big five?

:shrug:

CoNcast, Verizon, AT&T, etc. ?

[lonestarnot]

16. Deutsche Telekom?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Telekom