Anonymous Mobile Conference Calls

This paper describes an architecture and protocol for making anonymous mobile conference calls. A number of examples exist where multiple users may wish to communicate in an anonymous manner, such as anonymous virtual support groups (e.g Alcoholics Anonymous). Anonymous group identification schemes coupled with the novel idea of Virtual Numbers, allows for identification to a conference call facility where access control is permitted based on the concept of “proof of knowledge” of an individual. The goal is to design an anonymous multi-user conference call architecture that includes zero-knowledge proof group identification and a private communication-efficient protocol in mobile conference call environments. Our approach focuses on the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM). Previous work on the use of a Trusted Third Party (TTP) Privacy Proxy for achieving GSM communication anonymity and anonymous channelling and billing in GSM provides the basis for multi-user anonymous mobile conference facility. The underlying components of the serving GSM network remain unchanged.