There's been a lot of talk about cellular phone companies releasing their lists of numbers to telemarketers, including a warning that has hit most e-mail boxes, probably including yours. As is many things on the Internet, however, fiction spreads much faster than the facts.
According to a spokesman who specializes in privacy issues for T-Mobile, one of America's most popular cell phone providers, no such release is planned. In fact, federal law prohibits telemarketers from using computer-generated dialing to reach cell phones.
As for registering your cell phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, that service has always been available along with landline numbers and never separate since the registry was created almost 18 months ago, according to a Federal Trade Commission spokesperson.
One reason this e-mail is getting a lot of attention has nothing to do with cell phone privacy, but with plans to roll out a 411 directory for wireless numbers next year. And, cell phone customers would have to be asked for their permission for their numbers to be included in such a directory too.
Just to be on the safe side, I'd advise registering your cell number anyway at the
National Do Not Call Registry.
San Mateo County Times December 8, 2004