Mangaluru: Illegal satellite phone use detected?

Mangaluru: Unconfirmed reports have surfaced that the Intelligence and Police departments have detected illegal satellite phone use in the Karavali districts in the three days between August 10 and 12.

Satellite phone use in Beltangady taluk last year and Bantwal taluk this year were detected by agencies.

A satellite phone connects to another user through telecommunications satellites rather than terrestrial mobile phone masts.

Fishermen from coastal Karnataka and other littoral States such as Maharashtra and Goa use theses phone for communication between fishing boats and between boats at sea and people on land.

It is also possible that signals of satellite phones used on ships passing near the coast of Karnataka could bounce off the land creating the confusion that they are originating inland.