An Overview of Cellemetry (Autumn, 1999) ---------------------------------------- By Jinx * Telemetry: A method of remotely controlling a device, gathering data, taking a measurement, or providing information using a short message burst and not requiring the physical presence of a person. * Cellemetry: A wireless telemetry technology designed to monitor, control, and track anything that is worth being monitored, controlled, and tracked. In other words, just another toy to keep Big Brother watching us, and to help more companies become Big Brothers as well. Cellemetry was developed and patented by Bell South Wireless Inc., although it is actually a joint venture by Bell South and NumereX Corp. It was specifically designed for transmitting small amounts of data to and from remote devices. Vehicle tracking, alarm monitoring, asset tracking, remote control operations, and utility meter monitoring are just the tip of the iceberg. With this technology, vending machine operators would actually be able to remotely check your office snack machine to see if it needs restocking. If they were too lazy to call the machine, they could have the machine automatically page them when more Twinkies were needed. Or say you forgot to pay your electric bill for two months. It would be possible for the electric company to send a little message causing your service to be disconnected. Meter readers would be obsolete too as this information would be automatically sent to the electric company every billing cycle. Not only that, but a tech could shut down an entire power grid from his PC if an emergency should arise. Cellemetry devices can not only monitor the status of equipment and perform remote functions, but they can also track all types of mobile equipment and assets using GPS (Global Positioning Systems). This includes automobiles, armored trucks, railroad cars, planes, bulldozers, forklifts, trailers, barges, television camera equipment, cash machines, you get the picture. Cellemetry applications work with GPS to let you know exactly where your sh*t is at any given time. Cellemetry needs three items to serve its function. A Cellemetry radio or CRAD for short, a Cellemetry gateway connected to a cellular switch, and a computer host to receive and process information sent by Cellemetry. The CRADs are manufactured by Standard Communications and Ericsson and cost about $100 apiece. A Cellemetry customer must have the proprietary software to access their data from the CRADS. Specific software/hardware packages are manufactured by different companies depending on individual needs. Current application packages include: Highway Master (used for tracking commercial trailers), Telemetrac (allows remote monitoring for photocopying machines), OmniMetrix (used to monitor emergency power systems in case of grid failure), Aercom (all types of asset tracking), Orion (for monitoring cable TV outages or to perform maintenance without a site visit), and several other applications, which are either available or being developed. The customer uses this software to call the gateway and once connected, will have several options to have their CRAD paged. Once paged, the CRAD will register at the nearest cellular provider and will trigger a registration notification, which is sent back to the gateway via the network. The gateway receives the registration, removes the data, and issues a registration cancellation back to the cell provider via the network. So now that the data is at the gateway, it either stays there until the customer receives it, or it is sent to the customer's host computer immediately. You cellular wizards will recognize this process as "roaming registration." Cellemetry service operates just like a roaming phone operates in the cellular system. A roaming phone sends its MIN and ESN via a control channel back to the home system to validate service. The only difference between a roaming phone and a CRAD is that the CRAD's MINs are specially assigned so that the MIN and ESN are routed directly to the Cellemetry Service Bureau (CSB). The MIN identifies the radio to the bureau and the ESN holds the message (up to 32 bits). The CSB processes the data and stores it or reroutes it depending on customer needs. So now you know how Cellemetry works, but how is it used? A Cellemetry device can operate under one of two modes: modem mode and meter mode. In modem mode, the CRAD acts only as a modem, passing information in both directions. The CRAD is connected to an external controller that would decide if there is a real need to act on the information it received. If it feels there is a need for response, it will relay a message back to the Cellemetry system. The message will be contained in the ESN of course. In meter mode, the CRAD already has the required onboard intelligence to act independently so no external controller is required. Meter mode operation could be handled in two different ways. The CRAD could collect bits of information that could indicate data such as meter reads, copy machine count, number of snacks in a vending machine, etc. This mode of operation would be used anywhere a count needed to be monitored. Messages would only be sent when paged by the Cellemetry system. In the second subset of operation under meter mode, the CRAD is set to send the message automatically at a certain specified time. The gateway would collect information and report it to the customer at the customer's designated time (next business day, end of month, etc.). This mode is what utility companies would use to monitor your usage. If an immediate meter read was needed, a MIN page would be sent out corresponding to the MIN of the meter that info is needed on. There could also be another function assigned to the CRAD which, when activated remotely, could deliver a pulse to a certain device in the meter that could cause your service to be cut off. So how well will Cellemetry function in the real world? For one, you're talking about a wireless form of communication and no matter how far cellular technology has come, it is nothing to marvel at. The design of my apartment building makes cellular service practically impossible from within the complex and the electric meters are in a basement-like area. I'd like to see a CRAD operate down there. However, Cellemetry Data Services boasts of its "Cellemetry Network Surveillance Center," which will basically make sure all your messages get through and if one message fails, a redundant system will try another way to get it through. They even offer you access to their gateway using a variety of protocols including TCP/IP, UUCP, or CDMP. Access to your Cellemetry system can be done right through your laptop. And believe it or not, the Bureau even has its own fail-safe software (not fail-proof, but fail-safe). Cellemetry never uses regular cellular voice control channels to transmit info. Instead, it uses any excess capacity in the AMPS analog control channel to send a message between the gateway and remote devices. There are 832 channels in the AMPS system and they're split up between the two competing cell carriers in each market. Twenty-one of these channels are used as control channels. Cellemetry data actually yields priority to regular cellular traffic, meaning that if there is too much cell traffic, no message will be sent, or rather, it will be sent later. You're probably thinking, what if all these CRADS decide to send their data all at once causing an enormous data collision? From what I've gathered, the CRADS are programmed to respond randomly so you can rest assured that this month's meter read will get through and your electric bill will be right on time. And despite its real and theoretical drawbacks, you can bet your ass that corporations and agencies abroad already have an eye on this technology and are probably signing contracts as you are reading this article. Look for utility companies to implement this first, followed by cable companies, trucking fleet managers tracking their trailers, farming and agricultural folks looking to monitor crops, and I'm sure police and government agencies will find a use for it eventually (if they haven't already). Some of you may choose to see the dark side of all this, and I can see it too, but I'm one of those guys that can see holes like Swiss cheese in this concept. Since the Cellemetry device is basically a modified cell phone that remotely controls a device, with access available by computer, you can just imagine what the future of hacking looks like. For those of you clueless people, think gateway, think connecting using TCP/IP, think remote access to public utilities and cable networks using a cellular channel, think about seizing a power grid in Florida from your laptop in California (no, don t think about that, bad hacker). Or if you choose to see the glass as half empty, then think about the eye in the sky watching us, think remote monitoring, think control and loss of freedom. Although it's one step closer to 1984, I can't help but think of all the possibilities we may have to hack our future. Big Brother may be watching, but he's just a peeping tom. We can either try to shut the blinds tighter or chase him down the street with a butcher knife in our hands. All meter readers take heed, for the end is near.