FAQ’s

Standardizing Wireless Communication Protocols

Frequently Asked Questions, Comments & Concerns

Q-Question, A-Answer, C-Comment, R-Response

Q: What is a standard?
A: A standard is an agreed, repeatable way of doing something.

Q: What is an industry standard and why are they important?
A: An industry standard is an agreed, repeatable way of doing something throughout and entire industry. Industry standards play a critical role in research and development, product development and marketing initiatives, which in turn help organizations safely and efficiently meet their business objectives.

Q: What is an example of an accepted industry standard in today’s society?
A: A standard 120 v electrical outlet is an example – think for a moment what would happen if appliance manufacturers had no standard electrical unit for which to base their products. Another example would be the inclusion of seat belts in both the automobile and airline industries.

Q: What is a protocol?
A: A protocol is a rule or set of instructions to be carried out.

Q: Why is it important to create standard protocols?
A: Standard protocols provide fundamental building blocks for consistent product development by simplifying and reducing non-value-adding costs to meet the demands of society and technology.

Q: Why is it important to create standard protocols for wireless communication devices?
A: The wireless industry currently has zero standard building block distraction prevention and safety valve options to combat the myriad of wireless problems in today’s society. The following five questions and comments will help explain the seriousness and the magnitude of the problems currently faced absent distraction prevention and safety protocol standards:

1.  What piece of technology is the #1 smuggled prison contraband followed by Heroin, Cocaine and Meth? All over the world every day, prisoners (especially terrorists) continue to orchestrate their crimes from behind bars. Three phones have now been confiscated from CHARLES MANSON in the last six months. More than 100,000 illegal phones were confiscated from our prisons just last year. Our protocols would remedy this!

2.  What piece of technology is the #1 cause of roadway accidents, the #1 killer of teens and according to the World Health Organization is costing the U.S. as much as three percent of GDP? That’s nearly $450 Billion per year. More people died last year due to cell phone accidents than did in 911, the IRAQ & AFGANISTAN wars combined. Our protocols would remedy this!

3.  What piece of technology is the #1 disruption in middle schools, high schools and colleges across the U.S.? Nearly 90% of schools have strict disciplinary measures against having the phone out during the school day. This isn’t because principals and educators are mean, cruel people wanting to strip kids of their personal freedoms. It is because they have seen the myriad of constant problems that have evolved do to their presence. Our protocols would remedy this!

4.  What piece of technology is the #1 cause of mistrials in court systems thru out the U.S.? Cell phones are continuously being used by sequestered juries when strictly forbidden by the judge. It is no secret that witnesses and members of the jury are frequently being influenced and manipulated thru in court room cell phone tactics. Our protocols would remedy this!

5.  What piece of technology do terrorists use to detonate more than 60% of their i.e.d.’s? Our protocols would HELP remedy this!

Q: What are the primary reasons distraction prevention & safety protocols are not currently in existence?
A: Big Business & Politics as Usual. The players in the multi-trillion dollar cell phone industry are more interested in usage fees than creating a safe and friendly wireless experience. It is well documented many of these players donate heavily to our elected officials. The top 3 telecoms alone recorded more than 75 million in campaign contributions in recent elections.

Q: What about emergencies?
A: All emergency 911 and two parental emergency numbers always remain fully active.

Q: Would the classroom protocol enable an educator to take advantage of the wireless technology and use the phone as a potential teaching tool if so desired?
A: YES! Currently, almost 90% of schools have strict disciplinary policies in place strongly prohibiting phones to even be carried into class. Under current policy, most instructors have no choice. The classroom protocol would provide greater flexibility creating options for the educator to both suppress and utilize wireless communication technologies in their learning environment.

Q: Are protocols a restriction on my personal freedoms?
A: NO! This is not a restriction of personal freedoms at all. In fact, just the opposite holds true. We are trying to encourage usage and development of a piece of technology that has otherwise become a monumental societal problem. The cell phone is not a right. It is a privilege and being able to restrict or encourage its functionality in certain environments is of great importance. If the environment such as the classroom for which the functionality of the device would become inhibited is already ruled off limits by either policy or law, how is insuring the law or policy is obeyed limiting personal freedoms? It is only limiting if it is taking something away. The reality is the protocol is actually increasing personal freedoms as many educators will now be able to give technology a chance to be used in the classroom environment.

C: This sounds like more big government.
R: This is NOT more big government. This is exactly what government should be used for. This is responsible government. Government should assist in matters of public health and safety that otherwise leave it citizens vulnerable to egregious societal harm. I would like to state for the record in nearly all circumstances the executives of Try Safety First are clearly on the side of smaller government and personal responsibility. Unfortunately, there are times in life when human behavior finds a way to cast a shadow of darkness so severe that we must act to prevent collateral damage. This is without a doubt one of those times. If it could be accomplished on a voluntary basis, we would be all for it. Unfortunately, that will never happen in the case of cell phones

Q: What about simple policy advising against usage during certain times?
A: We wish it were that simple. Scientifically, cell phones have been proven to be as addictive as Heroin stimulating the lateral hypothalamus in the brain. Dr. John Ratey of Harvard Research likens it to the Pavlovian Impulse and says there is a need to answer at any cost, even death. Please take a good look at our society and ask yourself, is cell phone addiction running rampant? Because of these addictive properties, it is clear the problems are not going away on their own.

C: Increasing the functionality of mobile phones to include distraction prevention and safety protocols actually provides increased safety options for the free marketplace.
R: That is correct. Embedding protocols into mobile phones provides a greatly needed safety valve for individuals, communities, and governments to decide if, when, and where operational standards should be achieved.

Q: If all cell phones have the protocols embedded, can individual states decide when, if, and where the matching protocol sensors should be installed?
A: Absolutely. In fact, TSF encourages this. The mindset is once one state can verify the success, the rest will quickly fall in line.

Q: What percentage of drivers believe texting while driving should be prohibited.
A: Recent poll show 96% of drivers support texting prohibition when behind the wheel.

Q: What percentage of teachers support this technology?
A: Recent polls show 96% of teachers support classroom protocol technology.

Q: What percentage of students support this technology?
A:Recent polls show 97% of students support classroom protocol technology.

Q: What percentage of parents support this technology?
A: Recent polls show 98% of parents support classroom protocol technology.

Q: What percentage of corrections officials support contraband cell phone kill switch technology?
A: Recent polls show 99% of corrections officials support contraband cell phone kill switch technology.

Q: What percentage of judges support court room protocol technology?
A: Recent polls show 94% of judges support court room protocol technology.

Q: How does the protocol technology actually work in a class room or court room?
A:The technology provides an on/off switch for the respective boundaries within the specified environment. At any time, an educator/judge can choose to utilize or suppress the cell phones within their respective room. This will actually allow cell phone technology to be used as a potential tool when permitted (instead of blanket policies currently prohibiting such use), and then permit the environment director to sleep the technology during necessary periods.

Q: How will the phones get the protocols embedded and how long will whole process take?
A: Some phones will be able to have the protocols broadcast into them via a service update from the provider. But, ultimately all phones will be manufactured with the protocols in tact. It is estimated to take approximately two full cycles. One cycle is 14-18 months. A temporary migration period is understood and there will ultimately be a designated date for which non-compliant phones will be prohibited.

Q: Can non-compliant phones be eliminated?
A: YES. As of a specified date in time, it will be made known that all phones must be protocol enabled to be legal. Providers will simply send out a broadcast update to check for the protocol stack. Phone owners with devices absent the protocols will be given 60 days to comply or the phones will become disabled.

Q: How does it work with a business traveler roaming?
A: When a businessman travels abroad, his phone is automatically roaming on the host country’s frequencies. Upon roaming initializing, all providers in the host country will be required to auto-send a message signal to any phone using roaming. The message will notify the phone’s owner of the host country’s use of standard protocols and provide immediate protocol uploading upon user acceptance. Failure to accept means failure to roam. Keep in mind, as times goes on this will be less and less of a problem. The reasonis two-fold.   First – once Brazil passes this bill and shows even a small amount of success, every other country in the world will follow creating a worldwide acceptance of protocol enabled phones.  Second – There will be a short migration period, but eventually all phones worldwide will be protocol enabled as a result of Brazil passing the bill. The primary reason is since the technology is software driven to the handset manufacturers, there will be no need to have two assembly lines of production. All manufacturers will simply include them as they will not want to have to differentiate production and shipping lines. It is no different than all new phones have Skype built in. Once the demand is created, the wireless industry is very quick to copy-cat so they have no chance of being order excluded just because their phone didn’t contain specific software capabilities. One additional point is once businessmen understand the process, they will be sure to purchase international phones that are protocol enabled.

Q: Will a person of authority such as a prison official or policeman or high ranking government official have a way for their phone to be exempt?
A:  YES, but it will be completely dependent on the host country’s wishes. We have developed a phone specific password protected RFID name badge that will disengage the protocols within 1 meter.

Q: Will adding protocol technology to cell phones significantly increase the cost?
A: No, protocols are software driven. TSF engineers have already developed working proto-types for the handset manufacturers to model. Once the initial software writing is embedded for each manufacturer handset, there will be zero additional cost to the handset makers.

Q: How will TSF engineers work with handset manufacturers to insure simple transitioning?
A: TSF engineers will provide all necessary flowcharts, proto-types, and all final bench and field testing to be 100% confident of successful implementation.

Q: What is the hardware cost of a TSF sensor to be put in an automobile?
A: OEM cost will be less than $10 USD. Compare that to the cost of seat belts ($317), or an airbag ($590) or an ABS braking system ($790).

Q: If a government mandates the protocols to be embedded in all phones, but wants the free market system to pay for the solution where needed, what would be the cost to outfit an average school with TSF sensor technology?
A: The total estimated cost to outfit an average school with fifty classrooms will be approximately five thousand dollars USD.

Q: For a government selecting the ZERO COST Business Model Approach, how will prepaid phones be treated since a monthly fee will not be able to be collected?
A: In every case, the government can select what the fee will ultimately be. One possible solution might be to have a combination fee structure. For monthly contract USERS, the feeof $1 per month would be implemented as originally discussed. For prepaid USERS: a twenty-five cent protocol fee for cards up to $25, fifty cents for cards up to $50 and one dollar for prepaid cards over $50. There is always a logical solution to these obstacles – We just need to clearly understand the entire obstacle and together we can put the right plan in place.

Q: Can the protocols be cheated?
A: To prevent cheaters, the protocol stack runs in the background at all times. It cannot be turned off and attempted hacking will cause the phone to brick. It is well known there will always be cheaters in the world, but Try Safety First will continuously put great effort into research and development to stay ahead of the nefarious individuals.

Q: Does Bluetooth technology have a proven track record to combat cell phone problems in society?
A:  It is agreed that large scale experimentation specifically using Bluetooth technology for cell phone blocking has not been completed. However, it must be noted that class 1,2 and 3 bluetooth technology has been in use for many years and is some of the most tested and proven technology in the world. Literally billions of pieces are used every year. And usage for blocking will be NO different than usage in the many other audio/video and cordless technologies.

Q: Will this technology work with the hands-free technology in many new vehicles?
A: Yes. TSF protocol technology will work in tandem with a vehicle’s Bluetooth hands-free technology.

Q: Is hands-free mobile use safer than hand-held when behind the wheel?
B: From the technology acceptable risk usage point, studies show less than 1% of people in the world can multi-task at an acceptable level. Usage of the cell phone, either hand-held or hands-free, uses a great deal of cognitive ability which in turn diminishes one’s ability to clearly concentrate on necessary driving safety. Even with hands-free, a driver’s mind becomes enveloped in the conversation causing one’s peripheral vision to be depleted by as much as 35% of their expanded focus. The reports are clearly showing that hands-free use is no safer than hand-held use.  In fact, many reports are suggesting that hands-free is more dangerous than hand-held as the driver assumes a false sense of safety.

Q: Is protocol technology considered jamming and does protocol technology violate the 1934 Communications Act?
A: NO! Protocol technology does NOT involve jamming. Jamming overpowers/interferes with transmission signals and is currently against the 1934 Telecommunications Act. Jamming does not provide for emergency dialing. TSF protocol technology comprises the use of specially designed bluetooth sensors engineered to broadcast specific signals based on predetermined protocol environments. We have designed the protocols inside the phone to understand the signals and auto behave accordingly. Our motto is We Make Phones Smarter, Safer, Courteous and Compliant.

Q: Is this technology safe and is electromagnetic radiation emitted?
A: Yes, protocol technology is 100% safe. Our technology uses low energy bluetooth technology and conforms to all bluetooth technology certifications. It is equivalent to the FM radio signal broadcast by your car radio.