QWEST SENDS NEW PRIVACY NOTICES TO DISPEL CONFUSION
Qwest said it would send revised privacy notices to customers in all its states with their Feb. bills that would clarify its plans to share customer account information with other companies. Qwest said new notices, which would serve as “reminder” to customers, would inform customers clearly that carrier wouldn’t share account information with any entity outside Qwest’s “family” of companies -- its affiliates and companies with which it had marketing agreements for its services.
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Qwest was responding to concerns raised by regulators and consumer protection officials in Ariz., Colo., Wash. and Wyo. on confusing wording and format of original notices sent in Dec. advising customers it would be sharing their account information with other companies unless customer followed specific instructions within 30 days to opt out of marketing lists. Notices were to implement FCC policy that customer information can be shared unless customer opts to keep account information private. Part of furor over notices stemmed from wording that implied Qwest would sell sensitive customer information to anybody willing to pay for it.
Qwest said new notice also should clarify that it wouldn’t be sharing any account information before March 29, and that customers could call its toll-free number at any time in future to have their account information kept private. But Qwest also made clear that customers’ telephone account information would be shared with its “family members” such as Qwest Wireless unless customer specifically exercised privacy right.
Qwest issued apology for imprecise wording of original notice, saying it never intended to make unrestricted sales of customer information to all comers. It said that under its marketing agreements, companies that use Qwest customer information to facilitate integration of its services with their own products couldn’t resell that information to others or use it themselves to offer unrelated products or services. Qwest said it was adding 290 customer representatives to handle privacy requests and queries and it extended availability of customer representatives to include weekends.
Meanwhile, in Midwest where similar privacy notice sent by SBC/Ameritech also raised concerns about adequacy of privacy warning, Ind. Attorney Gen. Stephen Carter issued privacy alert to customers of SBC Ameritech and other local exchange providers warning them to pay close attention to account privacy notices they received from carriers. Privacy notices sent by Ameritech in Jan. bills advise customers of plans to use sensitive information from their records in compiling marketing lists that would be provided to affiliated companies.
Notices tell customers what to do if they don’t want their account information shared with SBC affiliates. Carter said customers should be aware they were being offered privacy option but only if they took action as directed in notices. He also said that telemarketers who obtained telco marketing lists, including telco-affiliated companies, still were prohibited from calling consumers whose numbers were on Ind. no-call telemarketing list.