Company Issued Cell Phones and Privacy?

Question

I work in Texas. I carry a company issued cell phone 24 hours a day and I am required to answer it at all time. We are being issued new phones next week. These new phones have GPS tracking capabilities.We have been told that we will not be tracked. However I know for a fact that the boss has already set the service up to track the phones. Can they legally track the phone 24 hours a day even when I am not at work.

Answer 1

You better believe it.

Answer 2

You have to be on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week?

sounds like you work for a nazi

i don't think there is anything you can do about it. Maybe set up call forwarding to YOUR cell phone and leave the company phone pluged in at home

Answer 3

If the company owns the phone than I believe thy can. However, you should be able to disable just the GPS, so you can still recieve phone calls, but your exact position can't be tracked. Although it is still possible to get a general position by tracking the cell towers your your using. That's how AT&T did it when they first started using the GSM/GPRS network. But that's not nearly as accurate (within 1-3 miles, depending on how many towers can reach your phone).

Answer 4

if they pay the bills you have no privacy with their equipment. Don't like the policy? find a new job. The tracking feature makes it possible for the owner to find the property if it is lost, stolen.

Answer 5

If it is their property and it is their money paying for the service, they can do whatever they want. You're an on call worker. There are inherant responsibilities that come with being on-call. Change jobs if you do not like it.