MOBILES PROJECT - DRAFT

Introduction: In this document, I will list my observations that came to mind when planning a Kosher Mobile service.
I. Main Objectives: What are the main objectives of this project?
1. To fulfil Rabbinic ordinations with regards to the proper use of Mobile phones, according to Halachah
2. To ensure the above is carried out with as minimum disruption and maximum advantage to the (affected users) intended public. Prevent people countering that it doesn’t work - there is no second chance!
3. To take into account possible obstacles, whether legal, financial, human or others.
II. What is the background to the Rabbinic ruling?
1. Booklet: “Berumo Shel ‘Olom”. Lomo Nikro Shmoy Mobile? Al Shem Dor Hamobile! Lomo Nikro Shmo Bovel? 1. Shebilbel Es HaKol - it disturbed the Voice of everyone in Shul, 2. Shebolal es HaKol - it uprooted people’s peace of mind, 3. Sheboloh es HaKol - People became enslaved to the mobile. Bring article from American publication with the title “Dor Hamobile”. Also from Ma’aloys, where they bring a reader’s letter with rules for visiting the Queen in her palace. Im Poga’ Boch Menuvall Zeh, Moshcheyhu MEBeis HaMedrash. Geomatrya of “Menuvall” = (40+50+6+6+30=132) exactly like “Mobiles” = (40+2+30+60=132). Mobiles were created for the holy purpose of recording Shiurim on Kol HaLoshon, not for causing disturbances to the Tefillos! Gemara Eruvin (Daf 18 P. 2) Achorey Akum vloy achorey Beis HaKeneses betook sheHaTZibur Mispellelin. Rashi explains: as he is standing at he rear of the Shul and doesn’t enter. See also Perek 2 of Berochos and Perek 1 of Kesubos and Maharsho. Mishna in Perek 9 Berochos: Lo Yeechnes Odom beMakloy, Tarmilloy ibeAfundosoy - this should be the cornerstone of our Halachic thesis. Place device near Shul entrance that alerts oncoming Mobile carriers to switch off their devices before entering. People confuse “Shul” with “Shuk“! Install Wave-and-Pay contactless device that polls the mobiles coming in; Hatzola members are allowed through whilst others are alerted. Hang up a notice in the Shul lobby and enshrine it in the membership constitution that whomever enters this holy place waives his human rights pertaining to privacy laws Re: curtailing his access to mobile features that have not been certified by a Halachic authority. See more on page 11, point 19 to 21.
2. Mobile phones have become more than just a two-way communication device. Nowadays it is possible to acquire a handset with the following appliances all rolled into one: Telephone, 2-way Radio, Pager, Text Messenger, eMail, Calendar/Organiser, Music and Video Player/Recorder, Camera, Radio, Global Positioning System (GPS), Games Console, Web Browser and Calculator - to mention just the main uses. Some of the above-mentioned features may be detrimental to the development of/and long-term behaviour of a Halachah-abiding Jew - especially a Hassidic Jew.
3. As a consequence of the above development, people have become virtual (pun intended) slaves to their mobile handsets: Users lose their bearings when TxTing (foul language is used where it would never had occurred to them before they became trapped), precious time is going to utter waste (TxT, eMail and Voice/Video Recordings are disseminated in ever growing circles to no one’s benefit in particular). Self-respect is being eroded to the point of no return (talking and walking in public spaces, disrupting Prayers, lectures and meetings, upsetting neighbours, colleagues or passer-bys by vocal disturbances). At this juncture, it is imperative to mention the negative influence imparted onto ones children, who either look askance at their parent/s or worse, start imitating them with worrisome consequences (addiction to computer games, browsing the web, TxTaholics etc.).

III. Background to Proposed Solution
1. To completely curtail its use by issuing a blanket ruling will not achieve its aim, as it cannot be enforced and people will continue using them.
2. In order to help people phase out their non-approved handsets, a viable alternative needs to be introduced that will convince the target audience of: our sincerity in trying to help them change their destructive behaviour and that they are not going to be worse off financially by switching to the new handsets.
3. If the solution works in the confines of the Belz community, to roll it out to other Chassidic groups like Gur and ultimately to the whole of the Ultra-Orthodox community. Eventually this could be expanded to cover other Jewish communities across the country/continent/world.
IV. Proposed solution
1. Create a bulk user contract (or “Group”) with a Mobile Operator - preferably with global presence I.e. Vodafone, Orange - who is prepared to meet the Terms & Conditions laid down by us:
2. Customised Handsets, SIM Cards, Operating System, and Menu / Graphical User Interface.
 Find / Design the right Handset: Large buttons, Bluetooth (for Earpiece, Printing of Faxes etc.), detachable half, consisting of: Antenna inside the top/Lid-half, which slides off the Lid where the screen is located and the SIM, keypad and Battery on bottom part/Base-half, which can serve as a clock, calculator and telephone book. This way one can detach the top half containing the Antenna before entering Shul so that no reception is possible - still the non-Mobile Telephone features are preserved!
 Idea: Wrist-Mobile “Hendy-Bendy” with a detachable base. Base Part contains the antenna and SIM card, Flexible Keyboard on Strap, VoiceMail & TxT remains on Server during the time when the Profile “Silent” or “Shul” is in effect. Develop Fashion based around the wearable Mobile, to finance the Kosher Model.
 SIM Cards should ideally include all information (Telephone Book, TxT, Diary etc.) so that every user’s handset is seamlessly accessible to messages/updates from Group headquarters.
 The new 2GB SIM card format from SAGEM should be the choice solution as it answers to the requirements of the feature mentioned in the previous paragraph
 An added benefit for the all-in SIM format, negates the need for high-volume Memory Cards that allow the storage of space consuming multimedia files like video and audio Clips.
3. Design customised User Manuals (See ‘More Features‘ below), Marketing collateral, Customer Service.
4. Prepare a Halachic FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) pamphlet with answers, peppered with pertinent messages to reinforce the move towards change.
5. Calling Plans according to set criteria (I.e. gender, age, married status etc.) to decide whether to offer TxT as a service, for example. See Page (?) below for more details.
V. The way forward (or: how to execute the project)
A. Design an infrastructure that will support the whole concept in terms of hardware (mobile, SIM, billing Platform), software (Menu, OS), processes (monthly billing, legal issues, user support culture) and human interaction, administrative and commercial considerations.
B. Put together a Monthly Plan for every user
1. Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin: Novices and Kley Kodesh should be offered a no-frills handset and Plan. Maybe they should be able to accept BizCards, no TxT!
2. Mehadrin: Expert users may subscribe to an advanced Plan, which will include some of the features that they are accustomed to. Some services will be curtailed, based on criteria set down by the Halachic authority.
3. Kosher: Heavy-duty users: Salesmen, Engineers and other road-based workers (Mashgichim, Property dealers etc.) may choose a Plan that will include TxT but no access to WAP (= Web for Mobiles).
C. Allocate human resources to:
 Canvas people with influence, potential customers and the public at large.
 Train shopkeepers into the new mindset, the nuances of the new service etc.
 Man a helpdesk equipped with answers to any possible (or impossible) scenario.
D. Customise the Interface
1. Menu to contain only approved / Kosher elements. Example: Games should be deleted.
2. See also : More Features
E. Design specific services to facilitate the scheme from all possible angles.
1. Allow for PAC so that subscribers can keep their numbers
2. Allow services to be switched on / off according to: Age (Bochur) /Status (Biz Man/Commercial Activity) /Location (Shul/School - See: More Features)
3. Filter TxT Messages by Internal (intra-contract) or External (Biz Associate / Overseas etc.); the first will be blocked, unless it is of a biz nature, whilst the latter will be allowed through.
F. Prepare a full Corporate identity kit (Application Forms, Manuals, Posters and the like):
1. Application Forms: The regular Fields (Name, Last Name, Bank details for Direct Debit etc.), additional Fields like: Date of Birth, Marital Status and Directory preference (if a subscriber does not want their number to appear in printed / pre-loaded telephone books.
2. Manuals,
3. Marketing collateral: Posters, Adverts, Memento’s, Brochures, Flyers and the like
4. Screen Savers
G. Explain, Train and Contain.
1. Launch a marketing campaign that will show the benefits of the scheme. Points to emphasise could be: “Not every feature on your handset is life-threatening; do you know which one?”, “Addiction to wireless communication devices could seriously hamper your connection to yourself - wake up!”, “Hold on! Your Neshomo-battery also needs recharging, put away your handset for one hour a day.”, “Mobile interference could cause interference to your prayers - beware!”
2. Allocate resources to ensure the changeover runs as smooth as possible. Expand the plan continually to assure happy and profitable transition.
3. Keep abreast of potential hick-up’s and problems that may throw the whole plan into disarray.
4. Send a weekly TxT with Tips, Advice, Halachic Guidance. Give them the choice that they may opt out by sending a service command (I.e. #246#). Alternatively, this could be achieved by including them in the bill printout, along with news relating to the scheme - designed specifically for Kosher mobile users / subscribers.
 Tips: Memorise any mobile number: drop the first two digits when repeating it to yourself or to someone else; as it‘s a set of three digits you will remember it with ease),
 Advice: (never leave the power cord in the mobile overnight, as it saps the battery life) and
 Halachic Guidance: (Loshon HoR’a is also prohibited over the waves. . . ) on Mobile use (after 3 months, send them only on a monthly basis),
 Women should refrain from calling their husband’s / son’s mobile during Davening (another word for Divinations or Prayers)
 Example: According to Rabbi Wosner’s Ruling that the Laws of Yichud apply to internet use, this should be extended to Web-based Mobile handsets.
H. Help alleviate the dependency on mobiles:
1. Install more lines in public places (Shul/Kollel/School), ideally mobile handsets with a pay-phone mechanism.
2. Install a voice message system in public places, just like in the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, where students can ‘pick up’ voice messages using their personal Pin.
I. Quantitative Data:
1. The Belz community can muster a sizeable contract of 500 users. A fairly good price should be achievable from one of the large players.
2. Collate bills from Monthly subscribers and expenses from PAYG’ers. Total it up and halve it, then divide the amount by the sum-total of users; this should be the basic monthly fee for all users. Alternatively, ensure that the Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin subscribers are subsidised by the Kosher subscribers, further incentivising Mehadrin subscribers to Up-Grade down to Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin Calling Plans.
3. Put part of the savings that are achieved by managing a bulk contract back into the kitty. Example: Discounts will be given if the allocated minutes were only used up by 50%: they get a 75% deduction / payback. Conversely, if a subscriber over-talks hi plan, it is automatically ‘banded’ to a higher use value, resulting in a jump of 25% cost on top of his previous month’s bill.
J. Commercial aspects
1. We should follow the models that were tried and tested in the field by Israeli (Mirs, M. Elbaum) and American (Rosenberg) Kosher Mobile operators. Don’t reinvent the wheel . . .
2. The concept should be developed with an eye on certain segments of the non-Jewish market, where our application of the customised package offers a solution to a problem. Examples: A company with a large workforce being given free handsets to communicate with their offices/colleagues, Students on campus, Soldiers and other service persons.
3. Arrange with The Carphone Warehouse to sell handsets for £5.00 without a SIM card.
4. Network Operator has to agree to cancel access to Internet at source, not when it arrives to subscribers (when it’s sometimes too late, as it causes havoc with the spiritual well-being of our community!)
K. Legal Issues
1. User agreement to be limited with certain services: we need to address the possible legal issue about Human Rights infringement, where a person cannot be prevented from accessing readily available communication channels by a bunch of religious fanatics.
2. There is a precedent, in the form of the ban on mobile phone use in-flight; any traveller could argue that his human rights were violated. Similarly, a Ultra-Religious Jew’s life is violated by the mere fact that he has access to the negative aspects of mobile ‘phone usage.
3. User agreement to be limited in Shul - see previous point, which is valid here too.
4. Possible solution: Every subscriber automatically becomes a holder of one Non-Voting Share in the company. This entitles him to full membership and obligates him to keep the rules of the company, namely Halachic Rulings according to Rabbinical Guidance, which may be inserted, altered and deleted according to said instructions. Every person who signs this waiver, agrees to forego his resorting to Law Courts with the view of getting redress and / or claim any form of damages for being subjected to aforementioned Halachic rules.
Conclusion:
At this juncture, it is important to remember that it will take the full and continuous co-operation from Rabbonim, Dayonim and Lay Leaders to implement such a drastic change in the Heimishe society.

LIST OF POSSIBLE FURTHER ENHANCEMENTS
1 More Features
 Install a device in Shul that forces all mobiles being brought onto the premises to switch from ‘General’ Profile to ‘Shul’ (= “Pilot Mode” or “Silent” and non-vibrating) Profile.
 Profiles: Create a pre-programmed Profile: ‘Shul’ (= Silent and non-vibrating). Set the Profile to turn itself on automatically at set Prayer times: from 7:00AM to 9:00AM for SHacharis (6:55AM on BeHaB, 9:30AM on Rosh CHodesh etc.), 7:00PM to 7:20PM for Mincha (or follow the Zman of Light Kindling) and 9:00PM to 10:20PM for Kevi’as ‘Ittim and Ma’ariv. Create a short-timed (5 minutes) Profile for Asher Yotzar, Bentchen and Kiddush Levono.
 Calendar / Organiser: Create a pre-programmed set of Reminders / Alerts for Zmanim (Neytz HaCHamo, Shabbat & Yomtef, Zman K”SH&Tefillah, Selichos (Play the Ring Tone: Yisroel, ’Am Kedoshim …) Ta’anis (Alos) etc.) for at least three years ahead.
 Bulk TxT should be disabled from handsets; instead, whoever needs to send TxT to many, he can TxT it for free to a designated 3-digit Service Command number (I.e. ‘#898#’) and it will be sent to a pre-defined group of his choice (I.e.: Belz 98, Belz 49, Mekadshey Shevi’I’ I, Yagdil Torah, Family)
 Customise User Manuals: Yiddish & Hebrew versions, Emphasise instructions on facilitating the easy transition from non-Kosher to Kosher handsets, tips & tricks for efficient use of mobiles, help with Menu’s and how to get the best out of the OS (I.e. Alerts, Alarms and Reminders in the Calendar/Organiser)
 Customise Dictionaries: Yiddish & Hebrew versions, pre-loaded onto SIM/Handset, to save time when creating TxT, which usually require new words to be spelled individually and then saved for use in future TxT. Parse TxT coming to / arriving from subscribers to ‘catch’ words that are as yet not in the customised dictionary, update all users’ SIM/Handset overnight with new words.

 Pre-Load Telephone Book/s according to user’s choice: Belz List, SSTD, VeCHey Ochicho, Biz Lists etc. and update all users’ SIM/Handset overnight with new/updated records.
 Offer a Free Data-Backup service to Business users, the reason being that hey tend to add many contacts that are outside the confined circle of the Pre-Loaded, Heimishe lists.
 Calendar items to be sent and saved into users’ Calendar: “Yagdil Torah, where are you now?”, “Shiur tonight by Rav Babad” or “Wedding this evening at YH“, with a couple of hours reminder prior to event.
 Incentives to push punters onto the new system:
1. Free and unlimited intra-group/contract calls; stress that they are not deducted from Free Minutes on the Calling Plan.
2. Free Roaming in Israel, USA, Canada and Belgium. Cut costs to users by combining their fixed lines into their mobile account - see next paragraph.
3. Free Net-Bit recharger with every handset
 Combine costs of Fixed lines with Mobile costs by abolishing all Fixed telephone lines accounts,
4. Allowing for more than one handset using the same number, i.e. at home.
5. Use existing ‘020’ number by prefixing it with ‘072’, example: 07974 160 252 becomes 07288 026 143 (replacing my home telephone number of 020 8802 6153. This will enable callers to quickly find new mobile numbers, as they only have to replace the ‘020 ’with‘072‘
6. Exception: existing users who will want to keep their numbers,
7. Callers to old mobile numbers will be TxT’d a Biz Card with new Mobile number of subscriber whom they tried to reach. (‘This number has now changed please replace it with telephone number 07230 149 586 as follows: Options >Find Number >Options >Add to Contacts >Update Existing, However for Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin users, or if calling from a (fixed) landline, they’ll get a recorded message (“Please make a note of this new number for future reference”) repeating the new mobile number (using TxT2Speech) twice, so that they can make a note of it,
8. Subscriber will get a missed call TxT with callers CLI so that he can call them back if he wants it,

9. Fax lines to be supplanted with a Fax2Mobile service, where one can print out received faxes using Bluetooth
10. Business users with an all-digital PBX in their place of work may opt for a ‘Follow-Me’ solution. This will turn their desk-based-handset into a replacement to their mobile, for as long as they are within a certain radius of their desk.
11. Offer free transcription of TxT dictated by subscriber, to ease the transition from TxT to non-TxT handsets (for those whom it was decided that they should not get TxT on their Service offering (I.e. Bochurim). Use Voice2TxT for accepting instructions, once translated into TxT, use TxT2Voice to transmit message to recipient in a pre-recorded universal, male voice (female for woman subscribers).
12. Play a Male voice on the Voice Mail Box. If both parties to the call are male subscribers switch to Yiddish messages. This will add to creating an environment that induces stricter adherence to behavioural patterns of a Halachah-obeying Jew.
13. Any dead number (“Sorry, this number is not in use”) to be forwarded onto the TxT based support infrastructure, for updating users’ telephone books.
14. Update all Telephone Books in the Group with unlocked corporate 08456 numbers; an added bonus to save money = happy subscribers
15. Web services: As many mobile users are now connected to their Always-On devices (Blackberry,iPhone, Communicator etc.), the web should be opened up to allow WAP content from approved sources and sites (See our White Paper on: “Kosher Web - Anno 2009“)
16. Involve the Heimishe Dealers (Rose Communications, Phone City, Rabbi Yosef Regal etc.)
17. See: “What I Want From My Mobile” for more handy features that may help float the idea successfully. Also: Remember last Contact browsed (like the Nokia 7610, Symbian Software 1998-2004)
18. Draw up Financial Projections
19. Offer paid advertising to be included in the preloaded listing of the Telephone Book of every handset. When looking for a dry cleaner, the user searches for “dry cl” and finds the local one. This department should help cover expenses of this project.
20. Place advertisements from Sponsors on advertising collateral, enclose Gift Vouchers / Coupons to “good-behaviour” members (I.e. if they don’t overspend their allocated monthly minutes Plan),
21. Idea: Free Mobile Recharging in Shul on special Slot Stands to avoid disturbance during services
22. Tefilin = Telefon, same letters in Hebrew: תפילין - טיליפן
23. חבלי משיח - will be connected to wires (internet) and wireless (mobiles)
24. Why the מחלוקת on עירובין? Because it’s made with wires (see previous paragraph) and because it is a sign that once you pass a מבוי = Movie, you enter the רשת הרבים - where all the Clips = לפתור rule!
25.
2 Implementation
 Tackle the big shots and Leytzonim first; let the Joneses lead the way and the pack will follow suit.
 Testing, Testing - any new feature should be tested first to avoid user discord (if a new feature is released without warning or properly testing)
 Allow users to opt out from automated features (Dictionary, Telephone Book etc.)
Notes