[NYTr] Telecom in Greece Not Immune from Fines for Wiretapping

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

sent by MichaelP (activ-l) 

[Here's an example where phone utility has no immunity from results of 
invading privacy. -M]


Reuters - Oct 19, 2007
http://investing.reuters.co.uk/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=allBreakingNews&storyID=2007-10-19T064118Z_01_L19401186_RTRIDST_0_VODAFONE-FINE.XML

GREECE FINES VODAFONE HELLAS AGAIN OVER WIRETAPPING

ATHENS, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Greece's telecoms regulator has fined the
Greek unit of Vodafone 19.1 million euros ($27.23 million) for
breaching privacy rules, the regulator said in a statement late on
Thursday.

The fine is the second imposed over a wiretapping scandal that rocked
the country last year. In 2006, Greece revealed that more than 100
people, including the country's prime minister, had their mobile phones
tapped around the time of the Athens 2004 Olympics.

In December 2006, Greece's privacy watchdog fined Vodafone Hellas 76 
million euros for a "number of infringements attributed to the
company", without giving details.

Vodafone Hellas has said it would appeal against the decision, saying
it considers the fine illegal.

Last month, the privacy watchdog also fined the Greek unit of telecom 
equipment maker Ericsson  more than 7 million euros over the
wiretapping affair. Ericsson Hellas said it planned to appeal against
the ruling.

The bugged phones were found to have been tapped mostly before and
during the Athens Games by unknown eavesdroppers. The case became
public after Vodafone Greece informed the government of its concerns
when it suspected its equipment was being used.

Calls were relayed to unknown destinations via four mobile phone
antennas in central Athens. The bugging stopped when Vodafone Greece
discovered the software and removed it from the system.