Can a person working for the phone company listen in on my calls?

Question

If someone works for the telephone repair department at a cable company can they listen in on my phone calls from their office without me knowing? They work in a call center for telephone repair issues.

Please don't just say yes or no add details. This is important thanks

Answer 1

NO. They can't! Trust me, I work for the phone company.

The test equipment for residential repair centers is an automated testing system. In other words, the person wanting to 'test' your line, simply hits a 'button' and tells the test system to test your line. It brings them back a test result only, but they have NO ACCESS to your line! Your line is very simple, in fact, so simple it's termed a POTS line, which stands for Plain Old Telephone Service. No fancy 'listening' feature is built into their test systems and that's true all over the U.S.

Now, if you are a large business with 'trunk lines' or a voice T1 (probably don't know what I'm talking about, but that's ok, because it doesn't have anything to do with you, anyway), then there are a variety of people who actually have the capability to listen in on lines, including the people who work in the NOCs (network operations center), that do the trunking and translations, and people who test those types of lines for installation and repair purposes. That's what I do for a living.

It is necessary for me to 'talk test and listen' to business lines that I'm testing, sometimes, for repair purposes. Also, as a couple of people already stated, outside techs have the ability to do this from telephone company terminal (box), using a BUTT SET.
You may be able to buy them, but finding the exact pair of wires that gives YOUR phone dialtone, not to mention getting into our terminal boxes, which are LOCKED, is going to require a 'McGuyver' unless you work for the actual phone company that serves you.

The main thing here is that it's ILLEGAL for anyone to listen in on you without a court order, and anyone at a phone company caught doing such a thing will lose their job RIGHT NOW! Unless someone is nuts, they don't risk their jobs to have a little fun with you, even if they happen to be one of the handful of people at the phone company who actually have access to your line.

Nothing to worry about! Promise!

Polly

p.s. Send me an e-mail if you need more info.

Answer 2

Yes they can but not legally. In a telephone office, special equipment would be needed, i.e., the "butt in". That's that handy little phone that most phone technicians carry. They can listen to a call at the telephone central office, or at any one of the boxes that are at the street where you house line is connected to the wire going back to the central office.

Legally, a court order can be obtained and then the authorities would be listening in. In Canada, the telephone company is also not allowed to provide anyones personal call details, i.e., where , when or who you might have called.

I do not believe that the telephone repair department, or a call centre can listen topo your converstaions.

Also note that wireless conversations can also be listened to.

Answer 3

They probably can but the phone companies are pretty good about limiting their employees abuse of that priviledge. The legitamate listening to resolve probelms is necessary, but if it were abused, it would probably cost that person there job. Anyone with a "Butt set" can clip onto your phone wires at many points and listen. They can be bought at a good hardwares store for less than $100.

Answer 4

in case you're conscious that the artwork telephones are being recorded i think of you've got forfeit the suited declare an invasion of privateness. regardless of in case you'll be able to desire to grant data that your supervisor is solely monitoring your inner maximum calls the argument ought to nonetheless be considered moot. bear in techniques they computer screen your artwork appropriate calls at their sole discretion and along with your permission. inspite of this I understand your concern, and empathize with the area, even nevertheless i think of from now purely answer is to apply a private line to make inner maximum calls.

Answer 5

Yes, they can and also the Government frequently monitors our calls to protect our safety...just beware or just take an attitude that you just don't care.

Answer 6

yes

Answer 7

Yes it possible

Answer 8

They might . .I know companies who monitored email so it is likely with phone calls.

Answer 9

yes.......they have a record of each call ever made

Answer 10

Not legally.