Verizon Wireless protects privacy of cell phone numbers

Steve Zipperstein, vice president and general counsel of Verizon Wireless, says that Verizon Wireless intends to take whatever steps might be necessary, including litigation, to protect its customers' numbers and privacy.

Trawling the Internet, using data mining techniques and simply buying lists to create a directory are actions that clearly violate a consumer's right to privacy," Zipperstein has said. "Verizon Wireless has long refused to release our customers' numbers and we call on legislators and policy makers to ensure that what a consumer wants to be private stays that way."

Verizon Wireless has a long-standing policy not to provide its customers' wireless numbers to any directory project or third party. Customers view their wireless phone numbers as private and consider their wireless phones as a place they don't have to face intrusions from telemarketers and other unsolicited calls and messages.

Over the past few years, the company has successfully brought legal action against telemarketers, winning injunctions, putting several companies out of business and putting others on notice that it will not tolerate these intrusions on its customers' privacy.