For Immediate Release                 
November 20, 2003

Reps. Pitts announces effort to protect privacy of wireless numbers

Washington—Congressman Joe Pitts (R, PA-16) and Congressman Edward J. Markey (D, MA-07) today introduced legislation that would protect consumer privacy in the event that wireless service carriers list their wireless numbers in a directory assistance database.

“The wireless industry is one of this nation’s success stories,” said Congressman Pitts.  “It offers this country’s 150 million wireless users with great service at great prices. Consumers rely on their wireless service to stay in touch with friends, family, and the workplace.  The wireless phone industry is planning to list customers in a wireless phone directory sometime next year.  The plan is to restrict this service to a 411-type service similar to wire line phone numbers.”

Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-MA), ranking Democrat on the House Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee said,  "Wireless companies need to ask consumers first and get their prior, affirmative approval before including them on a national wireless directory database.   No consumer should unwittingly find themselves part of a service they don’t want and consumers should not have their current relationship with their wireless phone company turned upside down in privacy-invasive ways unless they give their permission to such a change up front."

The Wireless 411 Privacy Act, states that -

  • “Opt In” for Existing Users - wireless carriers must have clear preauthorization from all existing wireless users before including the user’s name and phone number in the Wireless Directory Assistance database.

  • “Opt Out” for New Users - at the time of entering into an agreement with wireless users, wireless carriers must allow all new users a clear conspicuous mechanism to decline to participate in the Wireless Directory Assistance database.

  • No fees for being unlisted - No fees can be charged to consumers for being unlisted in the database.

“Home phone numbers have been listed and sold to telemarketers for years.  We don’t want that to happen to wireless numbers. This bill strikes a good balance between allowing industry to grow while protecting consumers,” concluded Congressman Pitts.

Click here to read the bill.  

Click here for more background on the issue.

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