Posted by mtnotary on 10/17/07 12:01pm
Msg #216932

IMPORTANT CELL PHONE INFORMATION

I just heard on the local news up here in Montana that Verizon is trying a sneaky thing. You must sign up with the opt out number or your privacy including who you call will be sold to God knows who.. You must opt out within 30 days or your privacy will be sold. The opt out toll free number is 800-333-9956.

Also in 5 days your cell phone number (doesn't matter who the company is that your cell phone number is with) will be open game for all solicitors if you don't call this do not call number.

Also I heard the other day that the do not call list is only good for 5 years and that will be up next year for those of us who got on the do not call list years ago for our regular phone numbers.

That number to call to be on the do not call list for your phone and for your cell phone is
888-382-1222.

By the way you are charged minutes for soliciting phone calls.

I personally think that they should have a call me please list and if you are not on the list than don't bother calling.

Have a great week.

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 10/17/07 12:07pm
Msg #216933

This warning about telemarketers and cell phones has been floating around the Internet for years. It is false. See snopes.com; plug in "cell phones do not call list" to the search window.

Reply by mtnotary on 10/17/07 12:10pm
Msg #216936

However the part about Verizon is very real just read your little white sheet that came with your bill this month...the part that looks like trash and they are hoping people will throw away.

Reply by Yoli/CA on 10/17/07 12:16pm
Msg #216937

I'm a Verizon customer and, of course, did not read the little insert. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! I'll be sure to pass it on to other Verizon customers I know.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 10/17/07 2:33pm
Msg #216959


http://www22.verizon.com/about/privacy/customer/

Disclosure of Information Outside Verizon
As a rule, Verizon will notify you and give you the opportunity to "opt out" when we disclose telephone customer information outside of Verizon. In fact, we generally keep our records of the services you buy and the calls you make private, and will not ordinarily disclose this information to outside parties without your permission. However, we do release customer information without involving you if disclosure is required by law or to protect the safety of customers, employees or property. This is further explained below.


Read the section on Your Telephone Account Information Rights. Hmmmmmm

Reply by MikeC/NY on 10/17/07 7:28pm
Msg #217040

You're misunderstading what this disclosure is for

Verizon (and all the other carriers) are required to make this disclosure about sharing information about your account with 3rd parties - it has zero to do with releasing your phone number to telemarketers.

If you want to read the truth about this urban legend:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp

Reply by BrendaTx on 10/17/07 8:34pm
Msg #217049

Re: You're misunderstanding what this disclosure is for

In all fairness to the original poster some news person in Montana thought it was a problem.

Recently, I get calls from a recording selling sports tickets. It's maddening.

Reply by MikeC/NY on 10/18/07 12:29am
Msg #217084

Re: You're misunderstanding what this disclosure is for

<<In all fairness to the original poster some news person in Montana thought it was a problem.>>

You're right about that, but it says a lot about how conditioned we are to accept as truth whatever we hear from the "talking heads" on TV... Whatever happened to critical thinking??

I really don't mean this to be criticism of the original poster, but spending 30 seconds thinking about this would make you realize that it makes no sense. There IS an effort to build a cell-phone directory, but it's strictly opt-in. Why? Because the cell phone owner pays for the incoming calls. No cell company is going to willingly subject its subscribers to unsolicited calls that they have to pay for - that's just suicidal.

<<Recently, I get calls from a recording selling sports tickets. It's maddening.>>

I'm sure it is, but I'll bet they didn't get your number from your cell service provider.

Reply by BrendaTx on 10/18/07 5:39am
Msg #217095

Re: You're misunderstanding what this disclosure is for

People didn't read what mtnotary wrote before referring her to Snopes. That wasn't what this was about. That Snopes article has been around for years. This is not about that.

This was in a new disclosure in the bill which then caused press releases from October 15, 2007 from Verizon.

From: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/globalText?contentType=Legal%20Notice&textId=181

In Verizon's press release:
http://news.vzw.com/news/2007/10/pr2007-10-15g.html

Verizon's policy blog states on October 16:
http://policyblog.verizon.com/PolicyBlog/Blogs/policyblog/JimGerace9/381/Verizon-Wireless-Comment-on-CPNI.aspx

As far as my cell phone receiving solicitation calls, I have no doubt that some place I have purchased or used services from, not my cell phone company gave out. My thought was incomplete...I should have just said having someone call my cell phone with solicitations was maddening, no matter where they got the number. (My number is published in many places and given out indiscriminantly by my own doing and I don't have Verizon.)

Reply by BrendaTx on 10/18/07 6:59am
Msg #217097

Actually this information turns out to be kind of an interes

Actually this information turns out to be kind of an interesting thing and food for thought about the future of cellular communication and solicitation of consumers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/16/business/16phone.html?ref=business

"Brian Ashby, associate general counsel for Verizon, said the company was seeking to share that information only among Verizon divisions, so it can better sell new products to existing customers. ......SNIP.....After defining consumer network information, the agreement goes on to say that the company “may include our own or third-party advertising in the services you’ve purchased from us, and we may share information about you with affiliates, vendors and third parties” to “deliver relevant advertising to you while using the services.”

Great...more ads...can we TIVO our phones?

Reply by MikeC/NY on 10/18/07 8:41am
Msg #217110

Re: You're misunderstanding what this disclosure is for

What she said was:

<<Also in 5 days your cell phone number (doesn't matter who the company is that your cell phone number is with) will be open game for all solicitors if you don't call this do not call number.>>

That's why people referred her to Snopes.

Reply by rengel/CA on 10/17/07 1:17pm
Msg #216943

www.snopes.com - is your friend n/m

Reply by Grace Gully on 10/17/07 1:27pm
Msg #216946

Re: Thanks for the info n/m