U.S. CALEA Market Insight

Abstract

Carriers Assist Law Enforcement in Securing the Homeland

The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) of 1994 was passed in an effort to improve the wiretapping process and to assist local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies (LEAs) with court-ordered lawful electronic surveillance. What has changed over the past several years? Emerging technology such as IP and wireless communications has brought a new level of need for intercepting call identifying and content information. Convergence, integration of networks, and the use of multiple networking technologies have brought new complexities in the wiretapping process.

CALEA wiretaps can be segmented into three major functional domains including:

• Access function
• Delivery function
• Collection function

Carriers are responsible for providing the access and delivery function of the intercept, while LEAs are responsible for the collection function. The access function is performed at the switch, which captures the call identifying and content information. The delivery function is responsible for carrying the lawful intercept to the collection point. The delivery function is based on whether the call is delivered over IP or PSTN, and usually includes servers, mediation devices, routers, and other equipment that collect the call information and data. The collection function houses the LEA�fs computer system, software, and database system.

Carriers are responsible for isolating, enabling, identifying, intercepting, and delivering all wire and electronic communications as required by lawful authorization. The FCC regulates the carriers and their compliancy with the CALEA "Punch List" items. The FBI originally prepared nine "Punch list" items, yet the FCC only enforces six of them. Those include the following:

Law enforcement agencies can perform a number of types of surveillance, but all must be approved through a court order. The following defines the different types of electronic surveillance:

• Pen Register – recording phone numbers of people the target is calling
• Trap and Trace – recording phone numbers of people calling the target
• Interception (Title III) – Includes the above two plus the recording of the conversation of the target

There are a number of challenges that exist in accessing and delivering the intercept whether it is a voice or data communication. The intercept of calls for next-generation networks such as packet-based or IP and wireless telephony are major focus for carriers today. The FCC is granting extensions for compliancy to prolong carrier compliance, and the FBI offers a Flexible Deployment Program to assist the carrier with CALEA compliance. Switch-based, adjunct based, and service bureau solutions are available to carriers. There are even some CALEA solutions meeting the intercept requirements for IP voice and wireless data. CALEA continues to be a pressing issue for carriers, especially with the great movement to secure the homeland. Other issues and challenges include the privacy of conversations and the protection of customer rights.

Electronic surveillance has reached a point of urgency in the telecommunications market mainly due to strong focus of securing the homeland and fighting terror. This study uncovers the latest trends, technology requirements, and technology trends. The history of CALEA, the "Punch List" items, and other data about the U.S. wiretapping industry are covered. CALEA is currently an issue for wireline, wireless, and cable providers, and is now an emerging issue for other carriers such as ISPs, broadband, and next-generation carriers.