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Here's some good news for cell phone users:

Only a few months after launching an online cell phone directory with over 90 million numbers, Intelius has shut it down, following an outcry from both the wireless industry as well as consumers.

Full story can be found here:
Intelius Shuts Down Controversial Cell Phone Directory - Alice Hill’s Real Tech News

Apparently, according to the article, Verizon Wireless exerted some pressure to help make this happen. I'm glad that Verizon Wireless is concerned about their users' privacy, but viewed one way they are being a bit hypocritical, in that they still charge their wireline customers an extra monthly charge for an unlisted number, just because they can. Hey Verizon, how about dropping the extra charge for NOT putting your customers' personal information in your (ever-shrinking) telephone directory? Don't forget, the customers that leave because they are sick of being nickled-and-dimed to death might go to another wireless carrier or a VoIP service - you have no guarantee that they will remain your customer.

As for Intelius, a Verizon Wireless press release (linked from the above-mentioned article) reports that,

According to its Web site, Seattle-based Intelius says that it will charge consumers a fee to find a number that is “unlisted or unpublished” and will identify a consumer’s wireless service provider. This information is mined from the Internet, personal Web pages and other sources, and has not been authorized by individuals to be sold for this purpose.

Steve Zipperstein, vice president and general counsel of Verizon Wireless, is also quoted as saying,

“Trolling the Internet, using data mining techniques and simply buying lists to create a directory are actions that clearly violate a consumer’s right to privacy”

And the press release states that, "Verizon Wireless intends to take whatever steps might be necessary, including litigation, to protect its customers’ numbers and privacy."

So this may not be the end of the story. I would just note that if you want to keep a phone number truly private (be it cell phone, VoIP, or unlisted landline), the best advice is to never give it to anyone except people you trust implicitly (and by that I mean close personal friends). Get a different number to give to people you cannot fully trust, perhaps a Grand Central number if you can score an invitation from an existing user, or a temporary number from some other source (use Google to search for "Free Phone Number" or "Free Voicemail").

This post is edited from the original with permission of Michigan Telephone, VoIP and Broadband blog. The original unedited post is located here.

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