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Wireless 411 inclusion
is voluntary

Question: I received an e-mail warning me that on Jan. 1 all cell phone numbers will be made public to telemarketing firms. The e-mail said: "These telemarketers will eat up your free minutes and end up costing you money in the long run. According to the National Do Not Call List, you have until Dec. 15, 2004, to get on the list for cell phones." It said to call 888-382-1222 from the cell phone that I want to put on the list. Is this true?

Answer: It's NOT true that all cell phone numbers will be made public to telemarketing firms.

And people have been able to register their cell phone numbers, as well as their residential phone numbers, since the National Do Not Call Registry was set up last year.

(Call the number above or register online at www. ftc.gov/donotcall. Registering will stop most unwanted telemarketing calls for five years, after which you have the option of reregistering.)

Mark the e-mail message you received as another urban legend, but one that was based on some truth.

There is a planned Wireless 411 Service, set to start next year, in which cell phone numbers would be available via the 411 system.

However, you would have to "opt in," meaning choose to be included in the directory. You would not have to "opt out" or be automatically included.

You should contact your cell phone provider to find out if it will participate in the directory and what that means.

Verizon Wireless, for one, isn't participating, said spokeswoman Georgia Taylor, based in Bellevue, Wash.

Among the reasons, "We're not seeing a demand for it."

Verizon Wireless points to a national survey conducted by TNS and sponsored by TRUSTe, a nonprofit online privacy certification organization, that showed only one in 10 mobile phone users said they would want to be listed in a wireless directory, and only three in 10 supporting a directory.

Having a wireless phone "is the last bastion where people have control over who's calling them," Taylor said. "So we don't feel the need to pull that down."

She warned consumers, however, that if they've entered a sweepstakes or filled out a product survey form and given their cell phone numbers, "it's possible that number made it to telemarketers."

Lissa Guild, local spokeswoman for Cingular (formerly AT&T Wireless), said the company hasn't made a decision on whether to participate in the 411 directory.

Even if it did, she emphasized that customers would have to specifically say they want their numbers listed.

"Our top priority obviously is to protect the customer's privacy," and that would not be jeopardized, Guild said.

Mahalo

To whoever cut down the koa trees and brush along Kalanianaole Highway off Keolu Drive. We now all enjoy a beautiful view of Kailua, and what a wonderful Christmas present for all the people on the island. We wish you a very merry Christmas. -- Zoe

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