Cell phone directory postponed

[TNDan21]

Cell phone directory postponed

JESSE DRUCKER

Wall Street Journal


Later this year, a coalition of cellular carriers had planned to unveil the first national directory of cell phone numbers, accessible to anyone who dials 411.

Not so fast.

Two of the country's biggest cellular carriers, Sprint Corp. and Alltel Corp., have quietly pulled back from the project. Both are worried about bad publicity over privacy concerns and possible new government regulations. Those two carriers say they don't expect to offer their nearly 30 million cellular numbers to any such directory this year.

Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular Corp. have been strongly opposed to the directory and won't provide their numbers. All this means that at least 45 percent of the country's cell phone numbers - and likely many more - won't be in the database when it is set to be offered near the end of the year.

There are many reasons consumers don't simply ditch their landlines and go completely wireless, including dead zones, muffled calls and short battery life. But the difficulty of listing a cell phone number is another factor. In one survey sponsored by the wireless industry's main trade group, about a quarter of cell phone customers said they would like a directory, under certain conditions. Wireless directories exist in a number of other countries, including several Scandinavian ones.

In fact, many cell phone users indicate in surveys that they enjoy the fact that their phone numbers are available only to people they want to reach them - especially since most cell phone plans charge for incoming calls.

The country's biggest cell phone companies have been discussing a wireless directory for years, since it could increase the use of the phones and generate new revenue from people being charged when calling 411.

But concerns have erupted about privacy. Customers who have only recently fled annoying telemarketing calls on their home phones (thanks to the national Do Not Call list) worry the same would spread to their cell phones. In response, carriers now say they will collect numbers only from subscribers who say they want to be listed.

Much of the opposition has been generated by Verizon Wireless, the country's second biggest cell phone operator with 42.1 million subscribers. The carrier opposes the service under any circumstances, citing customer privacy.

Last September, Denny Strigl, chief executive of Verizon Wireless, testified before a congressional committee considering bills to regulate such a directory. "There is not a groundswell of customer demand for a directory that would justify putting privacy in jeopardy," he said.

However, Mr. Strigl didn't mention two things: Verizon Communications Inc., the majority owner of Verizon Wireless, currently sells such a service directly to customers, allowing them to list cellphone numbers in Verizon phonebooks for a monthly fee. (The directory Verizon Wireless is fighting doesn't plan to charge consumers to list their numbers.) And Verizon Communications also explored marketing a cellphone directory service to other wireless providers in 2003, according to a person familiar with those discussions, with Verizon proposing to collect other carriers' cellular numbers.

Mr. Strigl said Verizon Communications' competing business isn't a factor in his opposition. He said there isn't a lot of overlap between Verizon Wireless customers and the markets served by its parent's directory service. Plus, he said, Verizon Wireless competes "ferociously" with Verizon for landline telephone customers. "Why would we be afraid of competing over a directory service?" he asked. He said he wasn't familiar with the parent company looking into the possibility of listing cellular numbers.

U.S. Cellular, the country's seventh biggest with 4.8 million customers, also is opposed under any circumstances to a cellphone directory. "We can talk all we want about (privacy) safeguards, but customers don't trust us enough to believe that the safeguards will be adequate," said CEO John E. Rooney.

Consumers Union and the AARP, meanwhile, say the proposed federal legislation, which would ban the industry from including numbers unless consumers opt in, is necessary to protect privacy. Such concerns have been fueled by a flurry of spam e-mails lately, warning consumers they will get unsolicited calls if they don't sign up immediately to include their cellphone numbers on a Do Not Call list. (These e-mails are a bit misguided since federal law already forbids telemarketers from calling cellphones.)

In response to fears like those, the carriers and Qsent also pledge that they won't share numbers with telemarketers. (Traditional telephone directory publishers like Verizon sell their numbers to companies that then resell them to telemarketers and research organizations.)

Qsent says the service remains on track. "We're still on pace to have some carriers offer the service in 2005," said Greg Keene, chief privacy officer of the closely held Portland, Ore., company. "It's just a timing issue." He said some carriers could begin soliciting numbers from customers as soon as March.

Meanwhile, some states are taking matters into their own hands. In September, Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill into law requiring a signature from customers to authorize their inclusion in a cellphone directory. And last month, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal sent letters to the major cellular carriers calling on them to stop their plans for the directory. Even though federal law prohibits telemarketers from calling cellphones he thinks telemarketers would make use of the list. "The only way to effectively stop a telemarketer is to keep the list private," said Mr. Blumenthal.

Verizon Wireless' Strigl contended that regulatory activity is one big issue he sought to avoid by opposing the directory. "Why give legislators another opportunity to in some way regulate this business?" he asked.

Sprint supports the eventual creation of the director, said Paul Red****, the carrier's vice president for business development and planning. But "it didn't make sense for us to keep pushing through all the misinformation" to launch it this year, he added.

Cell phone directory postponed

[Shizam76]

What was Cingular's stance on it? Were they opposed to it or for it?

[ZaphodB]

I'm glad I'm a Verizon customer, then. I don't need people finding my cell phone number. I give it to the people I want calling me.

[twopiece]

Originally Posted by ZaphodB

I'm glad I'm a Verizon customer, then. I don't need people finding my cell phone number. I give it to the people I want calling me.

Agreed.

What was the name of that girl that I met last week? Oh here it is. Let me call her up and start stalking her. j/k

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by Shizam76

What was Cingular's stance on it? Were they opposed to it or for it?

Cingular was for it, they were hoping the Opt In/Out would have been enough, I think for people that use there Cells as business lines they should offer it. I wasn't going to Opt in, and I think too many people are confused about it to know what they do or don't want. I don't think there was enough in the news to let people know how it worked to stay out & the other concern is Tele-marketers said if it was printed in a book they could call the people.

[bobolito]

People are not automatically included in the directory. They have to opt-in. So I am glad I am a Cingular customer. They don't make decisions for me.

[RJB]

There is no way I would ever put my cell phone number in that. Myabe if they gave me unlimited minutes I would.

[TNDan21]

Originally Posted by bobolito

People are not automatically included in the directory. They have to opt-in. So I am glad I am a Cingular customer. They don't make decisions for me.

I agree with you 100%. One thing that drives me nuts about Verizon is how they always seem to make the decisions for their customers and never give them any choices. Cingular gives you the choice and flexibility to make your own decisions.

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by TNDan21

I agree with you 100%. One thing that drives me nuts about Verizon is how they always seem to make the decisions for their customers and never give them any choices. Cingular gives you the choice and flexibility to make your own decisions.

I agree as well, I think Verizon having been the big company they are, thinks they can do what they want and they don't care what the customers say or want. I hope Cingular never get's that way & continues to listen to the customers & goes with the majority of what they prefer or want.

[bobolito]

Sprint seems to follow Verizon's footsteps in a lot of these decisions. So they are also not participating in the directory. It's funny how CDMA carriers tend to make opposite decisions to GSM carriers all the time.

[danny boi]

I don't remember Cingular asking ATT Wireless customers whether or not they wanted to get bought out? Cingular with the aid of SBC/Bell South made an executive decision they felt was in the best interests to their financial future and to the interests of the customers. If given a vote, I'm sure many ATT Wireless customers would opt to remain with the company they were originally with unaware of the potential benefits such a merger could bring.

I see Verizon Wireless and Sprint also making an executive decision on the behalf of their customers too. Sometimes when consumers are given too many choices, then comes along all the confusion. Even we don't agree on everything on this forum. A simple yes or no can cut down on that confusion.

[bobolito]

If Verizon decides they won't list their customer numbers on the public directory, then there's no choice for the customer to be listed, period, end of story. However, with the Cingular acquisition, on the other hand, AT&T customers plans, features, etc. don't change. The customer actually has a choice whether to stay with their AT&T rate plan unchanged, or move to a Cingular plan. In addition, those AT&T customers now enjoy better service/coverage than they did before. So, if many AT&T customers would've preferred to remain with the company they were originally with is because of pure ignorance. Most AT&T customers who initially critiziced the merger are now happier than ever with the acquisition because many of the draconian policies AT&T had have finally disappeared and they have realized their fears were unfounded. These old brutal policies and bad decision-making were the reason why AT&T Wireless was losing customers on a wholesale scale.

[danny boi]

Originally Posted by bobolito

If Verizon decides they won't list their customer numbers on the public directory, then there's no choice for the customer to be listed. With the Cingular acquisition, on the other hand, AT&T customers plans, features, etc. don't change. On the contrary, those AT&T customers now enjoy better service/coverage than they did before. So, if many AT&T customers would've preferred to remain with the company they were originally with is because of pure ignorance. You can't tell me that they don't enjoy better coverage after the merger.

Sometimes its the ignorant who need the informed to make some decisions for them in life. I can do the same for my son and do not seek his approval first.

Big companies have the right to make decisions that may affect their bottom line or large customer base. As good intentioned as we the consumer may feel we are many of our opinions come from the heart and laced with emotion. There may be a lot more information behind the scenes we are not informed about.

I'm sure Cingular is hoping they could sell a large list of our numbers to these directories to make more money. If they are, I applaud them for finding another additional source of income. That is called resourcefulness.

There are many people glad their service provider has refused to participate in this. It's just one more thing they don't have to worry about. One less form to mail in. One less email to confirm. One less phone call to make. One less text message to answer. One less survey to respond to.

If we want to add our cell phone numbers to the public, there are many ways to do so. I can direct anyone interested to some sites where they can list their cell phone numbers.

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by YourDaddy

I don't remember Cingular asking ATT Wireless customers whether or not they wanted to get bought out? Cingular with the aid of SBC/Bell South made an executive decision they felt was in the best interests to their financial future and to the interests of the customers. If given a vote, I'm sure many ATT Wireless customers would opt to remain with the company they were originally with unaware of the potential benefits such a merger could bring.

Actually if you were a shareholder as well as a customer then you did have an chance to vote on the merger, since that was one of the 1st things done after Cingular won the high bid.
As for AWE's position on the directory prior to the merger, they had the same stance as Cingular & were for it, with the opt. in option, so there was no changes here as well as with the plans.

[danny boi]

Originally Posted by Fire14

Actually if you were a shareholder as well as a customer then you did have an chance to vote on the merger, since that was one of the 1st things done after Cingular won the high bid.
As for AWE's position on the directory prior to the merger, they had the same stance as Cingular & were for it, with the opt. in option, so there was no changes here as well as with the plans.

Were the 20 million ATT Wireless customers given the chance to leave without paying the ETF?

I know what you are thinking.. "Why would they want to leave when their coverage will be better and they can keep their pricing plans???"

But were they given the option? No. Only the guys with the money on top were the ones to decide which direction the companies were going.

I don't have a problem with the merger though I'm still "waiting" for my bars to increase. I don't have a problem with Sprint or VZW opting out of the wireless directory either. Just making a point from the other side.

[Fire14]

I do understand what your saying, And since nothing with your contract, Plans or phones changed, this would/is a moot issue for us customers. And depending on where one lives, makes a difference if your bars have raised on the Blue side or not & on the Orange side in these area's whether your bars did raise or not.
I know you can ask bobolitto, here in North Jersey his did raise on the Orange side, yet me on the Blue side didn't, since we can't roam or use the Cingular/T-Mobile system. And it is going to take them up to 2 years to intigrate the systems, between that & them adding new towers we all will see them raise.

[Mobile Mike]

Originally Posted by Fire14

I agree as well, I think Verizon having been the big company they are, thinks they can do what they want and they don't care what the customers say or want. I hope Cingular never get's that way & continues to listen to the customers & goes with the majority of what they prefer or want.

It's just as well you're not with Verizon.

As someone who is, I'm glad I don't have to worry about opting "in" or "out". I agree with Verizon completely.

Have you had Verizon in the past? Did they do something you didn't like? Well, that would explain why you are with Cingular(AT&T). For the rest of us who are HAPPY with Verizon, like myself (for over a decade), Verizon can do what they want. They have been anyway, so what difference does it make?

[ZaphodB]

/s/,

Thanks very much for your email.

Denny

-----Original Message-----
From: /s/
Sent: Wednesday, January 19, 2005 11:43 AM
To: Strigl, Dennis F.
Subject: Thank you for opposing the wireless phone directory!


Dear Mr. Strigl:

As a new Verizon Wireless customer, I am writing to thank you for opposing
the directory of wireless numbers planned by Sprint Corp. and Alltel
Corp., and for protecting your clients' privacy.

While it is illegal in the State of California to telemarket to wireless
devices, this does not mean that we should make it easier for unscrupulous
people to flout the law. The fact that incoming calls are charged airtime
means that there is a cost to individuals and businesses to answer calls
from people to whom they did not expressly give the telephone number.

Once again, thank you for your stance on the "cell phone 411". It is
another example of Verizon Wireless' excellent customer service.


/s/
North Hollywood, California

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by lbmike212

It's just as well you're not with Verizon.

As someone who is, I'm glad I don't have to worry about opting "in" or "out". I agree with Verizon completely.

Have you had Verizon in the past? Did they do something you didn't like? Well, that would explain why you are with Cingular(AT&T). For the rest of us who are HAPPY with Verizon, like myself (for over a decade), Verizon can do what they want. They have been anyway, so what difference does it make?

Don't get me wrong, I would prefer the directory doesn't happen, but know there are alot of Corporation's & other interest's that are pushing for it & it will eventually happen.

As for having Verizon in the past, yes I did. We had them for our business as well as last year i gave them another try & found i had problems with calls & coverage where i needed it & didn't with AWE/Cingular. Being a Firefighter/Investigator/Inspector I had problems with no coverage where i needed it.
I also had some issues with Verizon as a landline company.

I truly believe that what carrier works for 1 person, doesn't work for another & each person has there own specific needs which is best for them.

I know people I work with that don't have problems with Verizon and those that do and the same goes with Cingular, T-Mobile, Sprint & Nextel. I have learned it's best to let each person fi