I had an intersting experience today. My phone rang around 5pm and a nice, pretty female voice told me that this was my wireless company calling. I was somewhat taken aback while she explained to me that the call was free of charge (I sure hope so!). Well, I'd just finished something and was in-between things so I figured I could take the call.
side note: I had been very happy with Verizon Wireless service yet this phone call made me wonder whether I should switch. If there is one thing I do not want - its unsolicited calls on my cellular phone, even if they are free of charge. Especially from my cellular phone company! On the other hand... this was an opportunity for entertainment on an otherwise long work day.
I'd been thinking of getting a new handset and we started discussing new phone models. I asked about the presence of a 911 feature in the new audiovox model. Sure enough, its there. I asked whether there were any phones without such feature and was assured there certainly weren't because of the federal mandate. While she was incorrect about the availability of such handsets currently from VZ (there are two - an entry level Nokia and Motorola V60), the sentiment comes from the following document - FCC E911 PhaseII mandate - see page 4 for VZ. The mandate states that by 2005 95% of handsets in operation must be gps capable.
I then asked whether the new phone I was interested in, would allow me to turn the feature off. She wasn't sure and directed me to the manufacturer. I suggested that inability to turn the feature off is a forceful invasion of privacy - what if I don't want to be saved? She re-assured me that really, the technology to track cell phones so precisely was too expensive and only government agencies could do it. Really? There have been a few articles in the media about the use of off-the-shelf software that provided the ability (albeit on opt-in bases) to track select cell phones and, by extension, their owners. this page gave some ideas on the directions in which location tracking could develop soon after the FCC mandate.
The service rep was rather interested in the news that the technology for actually tracking gps enabled devices is not so expensive (creation and maintenance of the gps system, however, is. But that's beside the point). She then suggested that since there is no central wireless number directory, the concern that someone at random may monitor a cell phone is not so scary. Well, not so fast.. wireless providers have been trying to establish a wireless directory - white pages and have been deterred by the house of reprsentatives. They have been deliberating amending the Communications Act of 1934 to protect cell phone user privacy. At the moment it is unclear which direction this particular decision will go, however, if the wireless carriers win, they stand to make a pretty sum of money for charging subscribers an "opt out" fee like the landline companies do.
The sales rep was somewhat speechless. She sounded a bit appalled when she told me she'd had no idea these things were happening and thanked me for providing this information. She was sure going to investigate all of this as it sounded just plain wrong! I concluded that pushing this further would be plain evil and conceded to buy the new phone (since mine had been threatening to die for the last month or so).
Conclusion: sales reps have no idea what happens in their industry and the pitch they use to sell their product to customers is often outdated and incorrect. Furthermore, these people really do not understand the workings of the medium they cell, providing little or no support for customers who are often lost and confused somewhere in the three pines of the decision making process... lessee how this new audiovoxi foxi phone will do :) Damn, forgot to ask her what she thought of the new $1.00 additional fee tha PA is going to require all wireless providers charge their customers in order to pay for e-911 implementation... oh well... next time... I am sure I will have reason to call...
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