Decision on telcos' “tower dump” production orders expected this week

TORONTO – The Ontario Superior Court in Brampton is expected to issue a ruling this week that could have far reaching effects on cellphone privacy.According to a report in the Globe and Mail, Justice John Sproat heard arguments from Rogers and Telus last summer pertaining to “tower dump” production orders issued by Peel Regional Police asking the two companies to provide communication records related to 21 cellular towers or sites. That would have required the telcos to disclose the personal information of about 40,000 customers.Police use such orders as a technique to get all call-detail records from specific cellphone towers,...