Verizon wireless customers: Do you WANT your calls and location sent to anyone?

[nilram]

Per the NYT article linked below, Verizon wireless has decided that in 45 days, they have the right to tell anyone who you have called, what services you buy, what locations you go to -- ANY OF IT. Any company that they accept as their "affiliate" (whatever that means).

Do you WANT your locations, your calls, your "technical info" to be passed around to "affiliates, agents and parent companies"? OPT OUT! Opt out info available at the bottom of the article, and below.

Weinberger, unlike the majority of us who rarely read the associated paraphernalia that arrives with bills and the like, noticed that Verizon's modus operandi was to share Customer Proprietary Network Information - the data created as a result of your relationship with Verizon Wireless - unless you ask them to stop.

This information includes "services purchased (including specific calls you make and receive), billing info, technical info and location info. They promise to only share this with 'affiliates, agents and parent companies.' It will definitely not be shared with 'unrelated third parties' ... unless, perhaps that third party pays Verizon to become an affiliate, whatever the heck 'affiliate' means," Wienberger wrote.

From http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2009/03/07/07readwriteweb-verizon_customers_-_just_say_no.html

Here's the opt out link. It probably requires logging into your Verizon web profile -- don't ask, I'm not a Verizon customer. https://ebillpay.verizonwireless.com/vzw/accountholder/profile/CPNISettings.action

Opt out phone number: 800-333-9956

Original blog posting on this: http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/2009/03/07/tales-of-data-pirates-opting-out-of-verizons-open-ended-sharing/


With AT&T rolling over to the federal government, and Verizon wireless doing this, I'm glad I still have my crappy old phone with sprint... (But, yeah, they're all in bed with someone.)

[ddeclue]

1. K&R and emailed to everyone on my email list!

This is shameful and I am spreading the word to everyone I know and to a number of reporters and bloggers I know as well and I'm posting it to my facebook page too.

I liked Verizon until this crap. They have good customer service and reliable phone service but my information is MY business. I opted out but I am still pissed!

[nilram]

2. AM self-kick, wanting verizon customers to see this

[tabbycat31]

3. there was a story back in 2004 about the way they treat their workers

I've never been a customer of theirs, but I won't give them a dime.

[ohheckyeah]

4. These companies give me a royal

pain in my ass. As soon as my contract is up I'm done with Verizon.

[swishyfeet]

7. I used to do that too

In the world of cell phone carriers the grass is seldom greener...

They. All. Suck.

Pick the one that gives you the features/services you require for the best price.

[Junkdrawer]

5. Thanks. I just opted out... K&R

[nilram]

6. right on, glad I could help. -nt

[ohheckyeah]

8. I did, too,

after spending 10 minutes looking for my pass code. Like I really remember that.

[Dinger]

9. K & R, And Passed Along To Everyone On My E-MAil List Too (nt)

[FiveGoodMen]

10. This kind of thing is why I still don't have a cell phone

[ddeclue]

11. Verizon Customer Service's ridiculous reply to my complaint:

and for God's sake give me a REAL name - i.e a full name and extension and email address when writing back to me VzW! Steven? Steven WHO?

:eyes:

Dear ...

Good afternoon, my name is Steven and I will be happy to help you today. I understand how important it is to protect your personal information.

I regret to see that you have been given incorrect information regarding Verizon Wireless's business practices. Your business means a lot to us and we appreciate your loyalty.

Verizon Wireless has a long-standing policy of guarding personal customer information, and has no plans to sell its customers' wireless numbers or information. Your wireless phone number is unlisted unless you request otherwise. Please also be assured Verizon Wireless does not sell or distribute account information to unrelated third parties. However, Verizon Wireless may share customer information with its affiliates, agents and parent companies (Verizon Communications and Vodafone) so that those entities may market their services to Verizon Wireless customers.

If you do not want your information shared in this way, please sign in to "My Verizon" and choose the "My Profile" tab. Click on the "View/Edit Privacy (CPNI) Settings" link under the "Cell Phone Controls" section and update your preference. Or you may call the "Verizon Wireless Opt Out Line" at 1-800-333-9956 and your request will be honored.

As a friendly reminder, if you give your wireless number as a contact number to a company (e.g. credit card company) and do not specify it is your wireless number, your information may be sold to other companies unless otherwise stipulated. If you are interested in adding your number to the National Do Not Call registry to prevent telemarketing calls, please call 888-382-1222 or visit the following link:

www.donotcall.gov

I would like to take this opportunity to recommend for your mobile telephone numbers ....., that they may benefit from a free upgrade of the roaming software in their respective handsets. As Verizon Wireless continues to expand our network, it is important to update your software to receive optimal coverage when traveling. To update your phone, please follow the simple instructions below while on the Verizon Wireless network and receiving a digital signal:

1. Power on your Verizon Wireless phone.
2. Dial *228 followed by the "Send" key.
3. When prompted, press option "2" to update your roaming capabilities.

Within two minutes, a voice recording will advise you that programming is complete. Remain on the line, as the call will disconnect automatically. I recommend you perform this update monthly or before leaving for a trip, as this will give you the ability to pick up newly acquired service areas while roaming.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to assist you today. We appreciate your business and thank you for using Verizon Wireless. Should you have additional questions or concerns, please reply to this e-mail.

Sincerely,

Steven
Verizon Wireless
Customer Service

Subject: Customer Service Feedback

....
Primary Subject: Feedback
Secondary Subject: Customer Service Feedback
Message Body: I've always like Verizon until today because they've had good customer service and a reliable network. Today I found out you are going to be selling people's private (CPNI) information and that you really aren't advertising that fact.
Selling people's customer proprietary information (CPNI) is really a terrible thing. It's a good thing I found out that you were doing this and that there is an option to opt out but nobody is being told this!
If it were not possible to opt out, I'd be dropping your service immediately. As it is I'm going to tell everybody I know that you are selling their information and invading their privacy since you guys really aren't letting your customers know in any meaningful way.
Shame on you Verizon!

[nilram]

12. isn't it funny how they say

"Verizon Wireless does not sell or distribute account information to unrelated third parties."

And they kinda say what a "related" third party is:

"However, Verizon Wireless may share customer information with its affiliates, agents and parent companies (Verizon Communications and Vodafone) so that those entities may market their services to Verizon Wireless customers."

But what is an affiliate? On the original blog posting, somebody from Verizon says that an affiliate is a company that's owned by the parent company, or is in the network of owned companies -- but, as far as I know, there's no real legal definition of "affiliate company." So, I'm totally inclined to think "affiliate" means "whatever company pays us money to access your information." Stinks.

Thanks for the copy of your Verizon correspondence.

[Mari333]

13. does this include land lines? I dont have a cell phone

and when I tried to register on their webpage they had only cell phone info listed.

[nilram]

14. Nope, nope, Verizion wireless, not landlines.

[The Straight Story]

15. I call bullshit on this

And I should know :)

Check out their policy blog on this:
http://policyblog.verizon.com/PolicyBlog/Blogs/policyblog/JimGerace9/590/VerizonWirelessCommentonCPNI2009.aspx

I work with a lot of their data and this is no where near what it seems. Jeebus.

[nilram]

16. okay

The verbiage from their privacy policy is,

In providing services, "we may collect certain information that is made available to us solely by virtue of our relationship with you, such as details regarding the telecommunications services you purchase, including the type, destination, technical configuration, location and amount of use of such services. This information and related billing information is known as Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI). ...

"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."
(emphasis added)

The policy blog link says basically that the information in question doesn't go outside of the Verizon group of companies.

Given that your experience of how they implement their policies does, in fact, truly follow that statement, then I'll accept that the information doesn't go outside of the Verizon group of companies.

I still end up with two objections -- their use of the word "affiliates" and their sharing of location and call history among this broad group of companies.

Fifty-five percent of Verizon Wireless is owned by Verizon Communications, and 45% is owned by Vodaphone group, so the phrase "parent companies ... and their subsidiaries" already includes a wold-wide network of telecommunications companies. In fact, that's really what I'd call the "Verizon group of companies."

Perhaps there's a legal meaning to the word "affiliates" that I'm not aware of, but the word affiliate, as defined (see affiliate) connotes being a member of a club more than being part of a legally owned group of companies. But if "affilates" does have a legal meaning that goes beyond the common usage, why not use a phrase that can be commonly understood instead? And given that the phrase "parent companies ... and their subsidiaries" already includes every company owned by Verizon Communications and Vodaphone Group, then why even have the word "affiliates" at all?

My second objection is related to the nature of the information they're passing around -- I don't really want my locations, in particular, passed around among the web of subsidiaries of Vodaphone Group and Verizon Communications (and I wouldn't be thrilled about my call history being passed around either). The policy blog specifically mentions offering bundled packaging (land and wireless service, for example) to customers. This could be offered WITHOUT sharing CPNI information, and by only sharing billing address and/or home address information. I find the PolicyBlog response insufficient, at best, and I would still opt out if I were a Verizon customer.

[nilram]

18. just added the following to the Verizon policy blog

that you mentioned. They need to approve it before it becomes visible.
http://policyblog.verizon.com/PolicyBlog/Blogs/policyblog/JimGerace9/590/VerizonWirelessCommentonCPNI2009.aspx



On your word, I appreciate and trust that Verizon does not sell personal information to third party advertisers. However, I still must object to the privacy policy in question.

Your privacy policy for CPNI information states that the information can be shared among Verizon Wireless' "affiliates, agents and parent companies (including Vodafone) and their subsidiaries."

The phrase "parent companies .. and their subsidiaries" already includes a wold-wide network of telecommunications companies owned by Verizon Communications and Vodaphone Group and that's really what I would call the "Verizon group of companies."

So there is still the word "affiliates" that is not clear. Given that this is a legal document, I know that each word has been examined and approved by (some set of) Verizon Wireless lawyers and executives, so I still must wonder why this word is in the privacy policy. I believe this is what the news media and other bloggers are wondering, as well.

Perhaps there's a legal meaning to the word "affiliates" that I'm not aware of, but the word affiliate, as defined (see www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affiliate) connotes being a member of a club more than being part of a legally owned group of companies. But if "affiliates" does have a legal meaning that goes beyond the common usage, why not use a phrase that can be commonly understood instead? And given that the phrase "parent companies ... and their subsidiaries" already includes every company owned by Verizon Communcations and Vodaphone Group, then why even have the word "affiliates" at all? I would opt out because "affiliates" is vaguely defined and it appears that it could mean anything that Verizon chooses for it to mean.

CPNI information, the subject of the The CPNI privacy policy covers "the type, destination, technical configuration, location and amount of use" of services that Verizon Wireless provides.

I would entirely opt out of sharing this information because I do not want my call history or location history passed around the world-wide amalgam of subsidiaries of Verizon Communications and Vodaphone Group, even if you do call them "the family."

Your policy blog posting, Mr. Gerace, specifically mentions offering bundled packaging of land and wireless service to customers. It seems like this could be offered WITHOUT sharing CPNI information, and by merely sharing billing address and/or home address information.

[burning rain]

17. k & r

*