Tim Flight

I’ve received quite a few “email forwards” recently regarding directories of cellular phone numbers and telemarketers being able to access the information. Like many forwarded emails they do not contain too many accurate facts.

One email talked about getting your cellular number on the do-not call list so that you would not be included in the cellular directory. Unfortunately the two entities are completely separate. The do not call list simply makes it illegal for telemarketers to call your phone number. It has nothing to do with wireless phone numbers. “But wait!” you say. I don’t want telemarketers calling my cellular phone either especially since I pay for incoming minutes!

Okay, okay, settle down. This was actually the point of the second forwarded email I received which basically said that telemarketers would be able to start calling your cellular phone as of January 1 if they didn’t register on the do not call list by December 15. It is already illegal for telemarketers to call your cellphone and nothing is changing on January 1. So put your number on the do not call list if it makes you feel better, but it will accomplish nothing more than what laws already in place are doing to protect you.

Now on to cellular directories. If cellular service reached my home there is no way I’d have a landline phone. Honestly they are more expensive for my calling patterns. Many people these days have a cellular phone as their only phone. Many people want to be listed in a cellular directory. I want people to be able to find me if they wish. And with number portability in effect I can move all I want and keep my number. Well almost, but it is a good thing.

There are plenty of people that don’t want to be listed in a cellular directory, and that’s fine. They probably didn’t read the fine print in their cellular contract that said they would be included in such a directory automatically. But I see their concern.

Thankfully many of the solutions out there for a cellular directory allow people to be unlisted. But what is best is a new technology (developed in part by yours truly) that allows someone to be “selectively unlisted”. So let’s say I want your cellphone number. You don’t want just anybody to have your number so you selectively unlist yourself. I lookup your number in the directory, I find your entry, but I don’t get to see your number. I can send a text message to your phone for a buck and then YOU decide if you want to call me back and give me your number or not.

And for those that do want to be listed, lookups are also about a buck. No telemarketer is going to spend a dollar per phone number… Not a chance.

You can read all about it at this Wireless Review article. Comments are welcome!

This entry was posted on Friday, December 10th, 2004 at 4:35 pm and is filed under Computer Technology. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. Both comments and pings are currently closed.