Last week however, the Dutch providers announced that the new deadline is unrealistic. They claim there are still no clear technical specifications for the way in which intercepted traffic has to be delivered to the police. This indistinctness has resulted in a lack of relevant offers from which Internet Service Providers can choose,' stipulate the providers in a letter to the Ministry of Transport and Waterways. The Dutch ISP's also claim that the costs of the interception obligation are too high. The Dutch digital privacy watchdog Bits of Freedom warns that the interception obligation of the Internet providers will lead to a rise in interception.
Figures show that since mobile telephones are interceptable, the interception numbers have grown.
For years, the number of intercepted normal telephones where 3000 a year. But in 1998, when there were only two mobile operators, the numbers rose to 10.000. New communication technologies lead to more interception, Bits of Freedom concludes. All Rights Reserved.