Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Score One For the Consumer
There has been a lot of talk lately about Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association's new directory for cell phone numbers. Privacy advocates are concerned that telemarketers will abuse it. Cell phone companies claim that numbers will only be included if the consumer agrees to it and that the numbers would never be printed in a directory.
In a somewhat stunning move, Verizon Wireless broke ranks and announced today that it would not offer up directory information on any of its 40 million customers. The company, which claims more than a quarter of all cell phone subscribers in the US, was responding to consumer pressure. It seems that customers have been sharing their fears that they would have to pay additional charges to be excluded from the listing (much like landlines have worked for years - being in the phone book is free. Staying out of it costs you.)
Good on Verizon – and Qwest which had earlier announced its intention not to participate in the directory – for listening!
In a somewhat stunning move, Verizon Wireless broke ranks and announced today that it would not offer up directory information on any of its 40 million customers. The company, which claims more than a quarter of all cell phone subscribers in the US, was responding to consumer pressure. It seems that customers have been sharing their fears that they would have to pay additional charges to be excluded from the listing (much like landlines have worked for years - being in the phone book is free. Staying out of it costs you.)
Good on Verizon – and Qwest which had earlier announced its intention not to participate in the directory – for listening!
# posted by AmandaWelsh @ 11:42 AM 
