Mobile Phone Number Search: A Directory for Mobile Phone Numbers Does Not Exist

You can find a lot of interesting stuff on the internet and that includes websites that cater to the needs of people who want to conduct a mobile phone number search. The truth is, the official directories found online are mainly for landline telephone numbers and not for cellular phone numbers. So if you’re looking for an official site for cellular phone numbers, don’t expect anything.

In the western states and California, there is a proposal to have an official national cellular phone directory. However, the authorities claim that it is a mounting battle.

Over one third of American households prefer their home numbers unlisted. In Arizona, Nevada, California, Washington, and Oregon, over one half of the homeowners there prefer to pay a monthly fee of about $2.66 simply to have their number unlisted and remain private.

Companies that make up the wireless industry promised ‘411 Directory’ that they will submit cellular phone numbers of their customers who permit such action. However, lawmakers want to be very sure that the cellular phone providers will do just that and so they want to propose a mandate.

According to one Senator, they only want to protect the best interests of the cellular phone users across the state and that the appropriate rules should be properly laid down so that the cell phone users will not be bothered by unwanted calls in the future. Aside from that, the Senator added that they are trying to prevent privacy invasion and there’s another pocketbook factor that worries them – the users of cellular phones might be ones who will pay for such unwanted calls.

According to the bill being proposed, cell phone service providers must get the authorization of their existing customers whether they want their cell phone numbers included or not in the database. And for their new customers, the providers should make it conspicuously clear to the customer that they can decline. Aside from that, the cell phone holders who choose to be unlisted should not be charged any fee.

The CTIA or Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association considered such legislation unnecessary because they have already given their industry’s vows and they still hope for the compilation of cell phone numbers in a wireless directory.

Wireless carriers also promised that the directory will not be sold to any third party or it to be posted on the internet. But not all customers are satisfied with promises and they still want profound protection from the government. Customers don’t want to receive prank calls and unwanted calls from telemarketers.

According to authorities, by having some form of legislative protection, the privacy provisions of mobile carriers cannot be changed easily. They say that by creating a wireless directory, it will only intensify the risks of unwanted calls.

Proponents of the 411 Directory contend that the idea was purely due to consumer demand, especially those in the small business sector. In California, the said wireless directory will surely find it hard to operate because it is a very privacy-conscious state.

In the end, it will still depend on the cell phone users whether they want their numbers listed or unlisted. Still, with the protection of the state and federal government, consumers will have more peace of mind that no changes can be made without their knowledge. Everything should be for the best interest of the consumers. Besides, what happened to the cliché: the customer is always right?

Entry Filed under: cell phone directory