VZ selling Customer Network Proprietary Information WRITE THE FCC AND THE HILL djf

["David Farber" <dave () farber net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Stagg_Newman () mckinsey com [mailto:Stagg_Newman () mckinsey com]
Sent: Sat 10/13/2007 10:05 PM
To: David Farber
Subject: VZ selling Customer Network Proprietary Information
 
Dave,

For IP is you wish.  Another affront to privacy by Verizon given the long 
history
of Telco obligation to protect CPNI.

I would suggest emails to the FCC Commissioners and Congressman as
which hopefully will shame Verizon into reversing this policy.  Also 
notification to Verizon of intent to cancel service upon end of contract 
period
if not immediately.

Stagg (who preceeded Dave as Chief Technologist at the Federal Confusion 
Commission).

VZW intros new opt-out policy for dissemination of calling records
 

By Colin Gibbs
Story posted: October 12, 2007 - 1:38 pm EDT
 


 

Verizon Wireless is requiring customers to opt out of allowing the carrier 
to share their customer proprietary network information (CPNI), a new 
policy that could spark protest from the carrier?s customers.

CPNI comprises users? calling records and includes the numbers of incoming 
and outgoing calls and time spent on each call, among other data. Verizon 
Wireless last week began sending letters notifying customers that they 
have 30 days to opt out of the program by calling an 800 number before 
their information would be shared.

Jason Devitt, who founded the mobile application company Vindigo and is 
now at a startup called Skydeck, posted a copy of the letter on his 
company blog.

?In order to better serve your communications needs and to identify, offer 
and provide products and services to meet your requirements, we need your 
permission to share this information among our affiliates, agents and 
parent companies (including Vodafone) and their subsidiaries,? the company 
informed subscribers. ?Unless you provide us with notice that you wish to 
opt out within 30 days of receiving this letter, we will assume that you 
give the Verizon Companies the right to share your CPNI with the 
authorized companies as described above.?

CPNI has become a contentious issue in recent years as telecommunications 
firms and others seek to leverage their networks by delivering highly 
targeted ads. The Federal Communications Commission earlier this year 
strengthened its privacy rules regarding CPNI following the pretexting 
scandals that darkened the industry last year.

?Consent rules (have been) modified to require carriers to obtain explicit 
consent from a customer before disclosing a customer?s CPNI to a carrier?s 
joint venture partners or independent contractors for the purposes of 
marketing communications-related services to that customer,? the FCC said 
in a statement outlining the new requirements.

While Verizon Wireless?s latest effort may not violate FCC policies?the 
carrier?s partners may not be planning to use it to advertise 
communications-related services, for instance?the opt-out requirement is 
being criticized in the blogosphere as a ?sneaky? tactic. And more 
customer backlash may be in Verizon Wireless? future.

Spokesman Jeffrey Nelson insisted the new policy adheres to the FCC?s 
rules, but declined to address specifics. Nelson also declined to say 
whether Verizon Wireless sent the letter to all its customers.

?CPNI notices are nothing new; other telecom and wireless service 
providers have been using this as a means to open communications with 
their customers for years,? Nelson said. ?This is the first time Verizon 
Wireless has sent a CPNI notice to customers, and in accordance with FCC 
guidelines, we are providing the opt-out option for sharing information 
among our telecom affiliates.

?We?re doing the right thing here,? Nelson said when pressed for details. 
?We?re doing this the right way.? 

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