WASHINGTON-Reps. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and Ron Pitt (R-Pa.) introduced legislation to prevent the listing of mobile-phone numbers in a national wireless directory without prior consent of existing subscribers.
The bill would allow new subscribers to opt out without incurring a fee. The wireless phone directory is scheduled to be ready next year.
“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 upfront,” said Markey.
The mobile-phone industry said the legislation is unnecessary and premature.
“Why now? Wireless directory assistance is still on the drawing board,” said Steve Largent, president of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association. “We are working aggressively to include strong consumer privacy protections as we continue to define a wireless directory assistance offering.”
