Your cellular number, available through Information Please

Your cellular number, available through Information Please

Published by johnbartley
05-21-2004

Your cellular number, available through Information Please

The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, a trade group who "serves the interests of service providers, manufacturers, wireless data and Internet companies", has announced its plans to <a href="http://www.ctia.org/news_media/news/index.cfm/AID/10079">add your cellular numbers to a cellular phone directory service</a>, to be accessed through 411 and other, less spendy information providers such as <a href="http://www.easy411.com">Easy 411.com</a> and <a href="http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=47263">Infone</a>.

If implemented as described, it looks benign-to-beneficial, as "every wireless carrier participating in wireless directory assistance has clearly stated that numbers will be listed on an opt-in basis only" and "participating wireless carriers have said they will not charge customers for not being listed." So, we don't have to get our cellphones registered in the name of Heidi Abromowitcz to avoid calls from the boss at oh-dark-thirty or the psycho-ex at 3AM.

However, as St. Gipper wisely said, 'trust, but verify", and keep your eyes peeled for changes in their currently benign policies before they launch (in early '05, as per <a href="http://www.11alive.com/news/printarticle.aspx?storyid=47263">WXIA-Atlanta</a>). Sure would be nice if they had some consumer reps on their board, instead of the <a href="http://www.ctia.org/aboutCTIA/index.cfm/AID/1394">long list of politicos, mediagenics and industry reps</a>.

Oh, and CTIA's head count du jour is 164,007,291 Current US Wireless Subscribers.

__________________
John Bartley K7AAY | http://celdata.cjb.net | http://kiloseven.blogspot.com

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#1 (permalink)

By Robert K. on 05-21-2004, 10:20 PM

I'll never want my wireless number listed.

#2 (permalink)

By ppcmd on 05-21-2004, 11:40 PM

What possible value can they offer me for wanting my cellular number listed so I can get unwanted calls that eat up my airtime?

#3 (permalink)

By johnbartley on 05-22-2004, 04:42 AM

They'd like us to take the blue pill, you know..

Perhaps they will change their tune when it comes time to actually implement, which is what concerns me, about the plans of an organization with no consumer representation.

#4 (permalink)

By Marctronixx on 05-22-2004, 12:58 PM

i bet there will be a rule made "in the name of homeland security" that publishing cell phone #s will help the government in tracking phone threats, etc...etc... big brother is upon us but its in a trojan horse...

#5 (permalink)

By johnbartley on 05-22-2004, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marctronixx
i bet there will be a rule made "in the name of homeland security" that publishing cell phone #s will help the government in tracking phone threats, etc...etc... big brother is upon us but its in a trojan horse...

Nope. Law enforcement already has this info, any time they want it. The benefit here is for cellphone spammers.

#6 (permalink)

By Marctronixx on 05-22-2004, 06:02 PM

ooh of course, but im speaking on that this site could list numbers publicly because of some government ruling... just a thought

#7 (permalink)

By Vikes98 on 05-22-2004, 09:11 PM

Big Brother... Where?

Wasn't that a show on CBS?

Seriously, I can't wait to get unsolicated phone calls on my cell phone and get charged minutes for it... NOT!

Maybe a side effect is that mobile phone service providers will start offering free incoming calls as a result?

Some already do I believe...

#8 (permalink)

By appliancemedic on 05-23-2004, 06:58 AM

Well I don't have to wait for them to list my cell number. Because my cell number is my business number listed in the yellow pages so I guess that I am one step ahead of them.

#9 (permalink)

By dwdod on 05-24-2004, 04:38 PM

Here is what Joni Blecher, the C-Net cell-phone diva has to say about number portability...

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-3504_7-5105722-1.html

#10 (permalink)

By CLEAmber on 05-24-2004, 11:38 PM

Why exactly would this be a problem? I personally am not "protective" of my number because I know who has the number and if someone else calls I just don't answer it. I am notorious for losing and/or forgetting a number before I put it in my phone so I would love to have the ability to look up someone's number and pretend I never lost it

#11 (permalink)

By johnbartley on 05-25-2004, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CLEAmber
Why exactly would this be a problem?

{snip}

Because of the hundreds of spim (SMS spam) messages daily which, if current trends are extrapolated, are likely unless somebody powerful chokes off spim and spam both.

Right now, our protection against SMS spam to our mobiles are thinner than Ralph Perk's hair ever was.

#12 (permalink)

By equus on 05-25-2004, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by johnbartley
{snip}

Because of the hundreds of spim (SMS spam) messages daily which, if current trends are extrapolated, are likely unless somebody powerful chokes off spim and spam both.

Right now, our protection against SMS spam to our mobiles are thinner than Ralph Perk's hair ever was.

Since last week I have recvd. four "spim" calls 1 from a reputable real estate agency, 1 from AT&T(LOL), 1 from the local Charity Org (I would rather refrain from revealing the name) and 1 from a Mortgage Co. When I asked these callers as to why they are calling me and that this is a business number and not a private phone... they said thats precisely why they are calling as they got this number from legal sources(again here refrain) and they thought I might be some person in the food chain that may be making decisions and that I could recommend these companies. When I called VZW and complained that these people who are calling me are eating up my minutes the standard answer was.. " Sir, you might have done business with them or you might have used that number on line or given it to them, there is nothing we can do". So now what??? Unfortunately me being a Field Engineer and I do sometimes get calls from the dreaded Caller ID unavailable scenario, I have no choice but to pick up as that is my job as Customer Support Tier 4... as its said the buck stops here when my phone rings and I HAVE to FIX what ever it takes....my number does get thrown around a lot but not in those circles I mentioned... thats my dilemma... I do believe the cell phone number sure ain't private any more contrary to what others think.

#13 (permalink)

By CLEAmber on 05-25-2004, 09:52 AM

I have heard TONS of complaints about SMS spam and telemarketers calling cell phones. I have not had this happen even one time (knocking on wood REALLY hard). I guess I can see how the number listing would be a problem, when you put it that way. Now I'm against it too!

#14 (permalink)

By Robert K. on 05-25-2004, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CLEAmber
Why exactly would this be a problem? I personally am not "protective" of my number because I know who has the number and if someone else calls I just don't answer it.

I won't answer those calls either. BUT, I do like knowing that when my phone rings... it's always a call I want to take.

#15 (permalink)

By dwdod on 05-25-2004, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by CLEAmber
I have heard TONS of complaints about SMS spam and telemarketers calling cell phones. I have not had this happen even one time (knocking on wood REALLY hard). I guess I can see how the number listing would be a problem, when you put it that way. Now I'm against it too!

Like Amber, I have been fortunate that I don't get any calls on my cell phone that are not from someone to whom I have given the number. I want it to stay that way. I would love for email to be that way too, but that is a whole nother matter!!!

#16 (permalink)

By mongoose on 05-26-2004, 12:48 PM

a brighter future could start here. I just cant figure out how. i know, send people a spamish potition against spam. Ha Ha Ha.