# Using Bluetooth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-bluetooth/472975>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 16, 2008, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-bluetooth/472975 "2008-11-16T08:22:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-bluetooth/472975/1 "2008-11-16T08:22:47Z")

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I recently got a cell-phone upgrade, which included a Bluetooth headset. The headset’s user guide (and, to an extent, that of the Nokia cell phone) go into considerable detail about how to set up a connection, but my quick question is this: Is Bluetooth a transmitter-recreiver to use with the cellphone? I wonder what would happen if I’m on the road near another Bluetooth user–would I get his/her tramsnissions, or vice versa?

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-bluetooth/472975/2 "2008-11-16T08:26:22Z")

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Basically you’re setting up a PAN (Personal Area Network), so your phone and Bluetooth device should only talk to each other.

(Pretty cool device, anyway. My phone connects to the nav. system in my car for hands-free communication.)

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2008, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/using-bluetooth/472975/3 "2008-11-16T11:33:08Z")

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In normal usage, what Johnny said is right. It’s not like a radio transmitter that broadcasts to all the receivers out there; only your phone and headset should talk to each other.

Of course, as with any electronics device, there are [security concerns](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth#Security), but unless you’re a VIP with horrible secrets, I wouldn’t worry about 'em.