To counter cellphone theft, Samsung has come up with a plan to add a 'kill switch' to its Android-based smartphone lineup in the U.S. However, the plan is being opposed by the wireless carriers.
George Gascón, a San Francisco district attorney, has been in negotiation with Samsung to add tighter security measures to its smartphones. However, the CTIA and wireless carriers have come out in complete opposition to the plan.
Gascón is convinced that the reason carriers and the CTIA are in opposition to the plan is due to the fear of losing profits that come from the selling cellular insurance plans to customers. This doesn't come as a surprise, and it isn't the first time U.S. carriers have chosen to block a feature from smartphone device manufacturers or OS developers. Remember the time when the carriers opposed Google Wallet? Earlier this month, they came out with an alternative - Isis.
The protection plans offered by the carriers, usually cover stolen or lost mobile devices. Furthermore, the carriers always require a hefty deductible when a mobile device is in need of replacement. This also comes with a monthly fee - so it's not surprising why the carriers would prefer to keep Samsung's kill switch plans at bay.
The wireless carriers are working with law enforcement on a national database that deactivate mobile devices whenever they are reported as stolen. This is a good idea; however, it is not as effective as the kill switch since the deactivated devices are capable of working overseas.
What this means is that the national database would not help in the cutting down the number of cellphone thieves as the latter would simply profit by selling to consumers overseas.
There is a silver lining here though. If more carriers around the world participate in the database, then it could become somewhat effective. However, it is possible that overseas carriers might not be willing to work so closely with other carriers outside of their zone. It will take some effort for this to work out, but for now, the U.S. carriers seem hell-bent on staying clear of the kill switch in favor of something they have more control over.
