IP: Qwest "opt out" number is off on weekends

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Sun, 06 Jan 2002 19:28:04 -0700
> To: farber () cis upenn edu
> From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat org>
>
> Dave:
>
> Just found this in the Seattle Times. Note that Qwest is able to accept 
> requests to block (or unblock) Caller ID via Touch Tones, 24x7. Why can it 
> not do the same for opt-out requests? (Of course, the company has claimed 
> in court that it believes it has the First Amendment "right" to sell 
> customers' information no matter what. So, customers may find that their 
> personal data is being abused even if they successfully opt out.)
>
> --Brett Glass
>
>
> Qwest line to reopen tomorrow: 'Opt out' phone number is off on the weekends
>
> By Peter Lewis
> Seattle Times consumer affairs reporter
>
> Puget Sound area Qwest customers who yesterday tried to "opt out" of the 
> company's plan to share customers' account information within its business 
> divisions and
> with its marketing partners must wait until tomorrow to do so by phone.
>
> The toll-free number to contact Qwest to opt out (877-628-3732) does not 
> go through to a live person on weekends.
>
> Customer-service requests, other than for telephone repair, "go into the 
> business offices, which are only open Monday through Fridays, not on the 
> weekends," said
> Qwest spokesman Steve Hammack.
>
> But the toll-free number should work weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., he 
> said. Hammack said customers who call during nonbusiness hours should have 
> reached a
> recording. But yesterday, some reported they got a recording saying they 
> had reached a nonworking number.
>
> Others reported trouble at a Qwest Web site, www.qwest.com/cpni that the 
> company said customers could use to opt out. Hammack said that, as far as 
> he knew,
> the Web address worked.
>
> But Ed Zoebisch, a Qwest customer in West Seattle, said: "I went through 
> the steps on the (online) form, submitted it and promptly got the error 
> message one
> receives when the destination a form is to be sent to doesn't work. Seems 
> Qwest is doing their best to befuddle our attempts to 'opt out.' "
>
> Qwest notified customers of the opt-out number after going to federal 
> court to successfully challenge a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 
> rule that
> companies could not share customer information unless customers explicitly 
> gave permission, or "opted in." Qwest argued the rule violated its 
> free-speech rights.
>
> However, privacy advocates and attorneys general from 38 states, including 
> Washington, are pressing the FCC to reopen the rule-making process to 
> determine,
> once again, whether opt-in or opt-out is the best approach.
>
> They are urging the agency to re-adopt regulations designed to protect 
> customer information, stressing an argument that opt-out notices do not 
> adequately ensure
> customer "approval" of information sharing because they are neither read 
> nor understood by most consumers.
>
> Qwest's opt-out notice was on the inside of a pamphlet included with 
> December bills.
>
> Asked yesterday how many consumers were opting out, Hammack said he 
> couldn't say. "I don't have that and I don't think we're keeping track," 
> he said.
>
> Times staff reporter Janet Tu contributed to this report. Peter Lewis can 
> be reached at 206-464-2217 or plewis () seattletimes com.

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