Cell Phone Privacy Laws & Cell Phone Directories
A common question that is on the mind of many phone consumers - wireless customers in particular - is does a cell phone directory exist? The answer is "No".
Although a person is able to find out information on a cellular phone owner by looking up their number with a paid reverse number search service, there is no general public mobile phone directory that exists.
Not long ago, many of the major cell phone providers attempted to create Wireless 411.
This would have been a large opt-in cellular phone directory that would have made the phone numbers of those mobile customers who chose to be part of this service, publicly available.
However, cellphone privacy laws put a stop to the creation of this directory, as it was believed it would put too many phone consumers' privacy rights at risk.
The major problem with creating a wireless phone directory that would be similar to the white pages is, unlike traditional landline phones, there is no flat fee that applies to all mobile phone customers.
While some consumers pay for a plan that features unlimited local calling time, others pay for a certain number of minutes per month, and some are charged for each local call or text they make and receive.
Therefore, if a cellular consumer's number could be accessed freely through a directory, it puts them at risk for telemarketing and other unwanted calls that they can be charged for.
Nevertheless, though a directory does not exist, this does not mean that a cell phone user's information cannot be looked up.
It is true that a person will not be able to find out someone's wireless number with a forward search, which is a service that enables a person to locate someone's number by searching their name.
However, if a person has within their possession the phone number of the mobile user, they are legally allowed to find out any information associated with the number through any available means.
Thus, you can pay for a cell phone lookup to learn the name, billing address, phone records, and other demographic information, etc.
associated with the number owner.
Although a person is able to find out information on a cellular phone owner by looking up their number with a paid reverse number search service, there is no general public mobile phone directory that exists.
Not long ago, many of the major cell phone providers attempted to create Wireless 411.
This would have been a large opt-in cellular phone directory that would have made the phone numbers of those mobile customers who chose to be part of this service, publicly available.
However, cellphone privacy laws put a stop to the creation of this directory, as it was believed it would put too many phone consumers' privacy rights at risk.
The major problem with creating a wireless phone directory that would be similar to the white pages is, unlike traditional landline phones, there is no flat fee that applies to all mobile phone customers.
While some consumers pay for a plan that features unlimited local calling time, others pay for a certain number of minutes per month, and some are charged for each local call or text they make and receive.
Therefore, if a cellular consumer's number could be accessed freely through a directory, it puts them at risk for telemarketing and other unwanted calls that they can be charged for.
Nevertheless, though a directory does not exist, this does not mean that a cell phone user's information cannot be looked up.
It is true that a person will not be able to find out someone's wireless number with a forward search, which is a service that enables a person to locate someone's number by searching their name.
However, if a person has within their possession the phone number of the mobile user, they are legally allowed to find out any information associated with the number through any available means.
Thus, you can pay for a cell phone lookup to learn the name, billing address, phone records, and other demographic information, etc.
associated with the number owner.
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