This link gives the background to the following emails. Hell, it's bad enough on the land line and I'm registered with TPS. Anyway, after giving up on attempting to access the website, I emailed them. I was surprised at the reply - they want *more* personal information?! Any further replies will be posted.
Hi there,
After trying repeatedly for the last three weeks to get my mobile numbers made ex-directory on your service, I find I still can't.
Do you have any plans to allow people an alternate way to become ex-directory?
The cynical among us are beginning to think this is just a way to stop us removing our numbers from your list.
Regards,
Indy
Thank you for your email enquiring about the resumption our service to make yourself ex-directory.
Firstly, we want to reassure you that 118 800 connects people; we do not give out mobile phone numbers.
Our ex directory system is currently unavailable due to the developments we are making to improve our service to customers and we expect this to continue for a little while yet. However our mobile phone connection service is also unavailable currently so no enquirer will be connected to a mobile phone for now.
We suggest you visit 118800.co.uk later when our service resumes to make yourself ex-directory. In this way, you’ll get immediate confirmation of when the ex-directory listing will take effect.
If you’d rather not keep checking back to the site then we can offer to do it for you when the service resumes. In this case we need some more information from you. Please email us at contact@118800.co.uk with your correct name, home address and mobile phone number. Please title the email ‘ex-directory’. We will not process the request without a correct name, home address and mobile number. We cannot send you a confirmation. But you will be able to check you are ex-directory by searching for yourself at 118800.co.uk at no charge as soon as the service resumes.
Regards
118 800 Customer Service
Thank you for the reply.
I see your website is still unavailable.
From what you outlined below, am I right in thinking that to make myself ex-directory on your website (i.e., so that people who do not know me can't cold-call me), you want my full name and address in addition to my mobile number that you may (or may not) already have on your records?
I have to supply you with more personal data in order that you don't make use of my phone number?!
Do you really think that in this day and age when we are being reminded not to pass out personal data to reduce identity theft that people are willing to do this?
I don't see any information on your website (well, what is currently working at least) that gives me any feeling of confidence that my data will be kept private.
Steve
Hi Steve, im Neil and I work at 118800.co.uk
ReplyDeleteThanks for your questions and talking about 118800 on your blog.
To reassure you we do not sell or give data or personal details to anyone. We never ever give out any mobile numbers. We connect people who want or need to talk on the move using a system painstakingly designed to protect privacy.
In the majority of cases it will be a friend or colleague who has lost your number or doesn’t have it on them and needs to get in touch. If you are contacted it will be by 118800 announcing the name of that person, or sending a text message with the name and number of the person trying to get in touch. It will then be up to you whether you want to speak to them or not.
Cold calling is common on landline numbers because landline data is freely and widely available. The mobile numbers in our directory are available to no one.
For more information please visit our website on www.118800.co.uk
Or watch a video of how the service works 118800
I'm not sure which I'm more impressed by...the fact that someone at this place is trawling blogs looking for unhappy people whose mobile numbers are now in a directory, or the fact that the damn website is still not up and running so I can remove my number.
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