WASHINGTON-Six of the seven largest mobile-phone carriers have sent Congress letters supporting a no-charge opt-in approach for a 411 wireless database directory and vowing to remove from existing contracts language allowing subscribers’ phone numbers to be used in a directory.
The letters, released by a House Commerce subcommittee after a hearing today on a bill that would require wireless carriers to obtain permission from subscribers to include their phone numbers in a directory, were signed by chief executives of Cingular Wireless L.L.C., AT&T Wireless Services Inc., Sprint PCS, Nextel Communications Inc., T-Mobile USA Inc. and Alltel Corp.
Verizon Wireless, the No. 1 cell-phone service provider, opposes the 411 wireless directory being developed by a limited liability corporation under the auspices of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association and the six carriers.
Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas) has not scheduled a markup of the bill, co-sponsored by Joseph Pitts (R-Pa.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.), which also has numerous backers. The Senate Commerce Committee last week passed a similar bill.
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), co-author of the Senate measure and a witness at today’s hearing, picked up where she left off last week by criticizing mobile-phone industry’s effort to create a wireless directory.
“Privacy should be afforded to everyone,” said Boxer. “We need a uniform standard of privacy for our people. This is a no-brainer.”
Steve Largent, president of CTIA, disagreed. Largent predicted wireless directory legislation would stifle innovation, hurt small businesses and put technology firms out of business.
Largent said the cell-phone industry has a strong record of protecting consumer privacy and can be trusted to safeguard information in the wireless directory.
“Carriers are more concerned about privacy than Congress is,” said Largent.
Some lawmakers raised concerns about consumers served by small- and medium-sized carriers that would not be covered by privacy protections promised by the six carriers. Largent said consumers have options to change carriers and switch to prepaid service if they do not want to receive unsolicited calls for which they must pay.
