Posted on 06/21/2004 8:38:02 AM PDT by NotQuiteCricket
MENLO PARK, Calif. - Consumers' passion for privacy in California and other Western states could signal an uphill battle for the proponents of a national cell phone directory. Already, slightly more than a third of Americans nationwide have unlisted home numbers, but in California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon and Washington, about half the people choose not be listed in phone directories. They pay as much as $2.66 a month to keep their home numbers private.
The wireless industry, meantime, has promised it will submit to the 411 directory the mobile phone numbers of only those customers who grant their carriers permission to do so. But to be sure, some federal lawmakers want to mandate that.
"We have to protect the privacy of cell phone users, and we want to have the rules of the game set down here ... to ensure that cell phone users do not face an onslaught of unwanted calls," said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who introduced the Wireless 411 Privacy Act along with Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa.
They're not just worried about privacy invasion. There's a pocketbook factor: Cell phone users must pay for many of the calls they receive.
Under the proposed bill, cellular carriers must first get existing customers to authorize the inclusion of their mobile numbers in the 411 database. For new customers, carriers must clearly and conspicuously give them the option to decline.
The bill would also ensure that no customer need pay a fee for having cell phones unlisted.
The Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, which hopes to compile the wireless directory by the end of the year, says it considers the legislation unnecessary given the industry's vows.
(Excerpt) Read more at mobilepipeline.com ...
"The Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association, which hopes to compile the wireless directory by the end of the year, says it considers the legislation unnecessary given the industry's vows."
Yeah - cause like, since they PROMISED to not sell the information, then like, they aren't gonna!
rotflmao
Good case for a new law? It would seem to be common sense that people should be notified & have to opt-in to get on this directory - but then again, when was common sense common?
The very LAST thing I want is my cell number published!
No Kidding! Makes me think that Verizon is on to something, they aren't touching it with a 10 foot pole (or 2 5 foot swedes).
Must have something to do with loss of revenue, somehow. Phone companies aren't quite legit, judging by many of their actions.
I don't know if you're old enough to remember the advent of unleaded gasoline or not but when it first came on the market gas stations had both leaded and unleaded for a couple of years. They charged more for the unleaded and I never understood why they charged more for NOT putting an additive in the gas.
(Because they could I suppose)
Leaded gas was cheaper because that was the cheapest way of raising the octane It was cheaper to make 95 octane gas and put enough tetra ethyl lead in it to raise it to 100 octane than it was to refine 100 octane gas.
My guess is that the higher price was due to limited demand at first and the refinery investment to produce it. I think they had to also put in some anti-knock additives or something to protect valves to replace the removed lead.
But I sure don't see a justification (i.e. recurring expense for the phone company) for monthly "unlisted" fees.
Can you even buy leaded gas anywhere now? Racing fuel? Avgas?
How does anyone get away with extortion?
For years, in our local directory, there has been a listing for: Duck, Darkwing.
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