| [December 10, 2004] |
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Sorting Fact from Fiction on the Wireless 411 Service; Qsent debunks urban legend on proposed first of its kind nationwide service
PORTLAND, Ore. --(Business Wire)-- Dec. 10, 2004 -- Everyone has received them at one time or another: emails forwarded by friends of friends warning us of some unexpected danger. Many of these messages fall into the category of urban legends, that is, false information that seems impossible to refute as these emails get forwarded to ever growing circles of people.
One of the most recent examples attempts to scare consumers regarding Wireless 411 Service, a proposed service to offer wireless numbers through the nationwide 411 system. Like most urban legends, the facts refute the email message's scare tactics. Here then, are the facts.
The Facts:
The Wireless 411 Service that will be enabled by Qsent is a first of its kind for the US. Unlike traditional landline directory assistance, the Wireless 411 Service has stringent privacy policies:
-- The right to choose. Consumers have to ask to be included. No one's mobile number will be included in the service unless they have requested it.
-- The right to change one's mind. Consumers can change their mind at any time and ask to have their information omitted.
-- The right to security. Information will be safeguarded. Consumer data residing in the Wireless 411 Service privacy-protected database will not be listed or shared online or in any kind of public directory. A caller inquiring about a number will be given that information, but will not be able to access a directory for browsing. Likewise, telemarketers will have no access to this data.
-- The right to exercise these fundamental choices at no charge. The choice to opt-in or opt-out will be free of charge. Qsent will not charge carriers for storage of listings, additions or deletions, nor will participating carriers.
The privacy controls for the Wireless 411 Service are much stricter than those used by traditional landline directory assistance and especially by web-based phone books.
Other Relevant Data:
-- 53 percent of consumers surveyed for a Pierz Group report indicate they would support the Wireless 411 Service with the privacy protections that are currently proposed for the service. (August 31, 2004 - http://www.pierzgroup.com/AvailableReports/index.html).
-- 24 percent of people indicate their cell phone is their primary communication device, with 7.9 percent of single-person households and 5.5 percent of all households in the U.S. describing themselves as cell phone-only.
-- A majority of all wireless users, surveyed for the Pierz Group report, regardless of carrier, indicated they would be interested in participating in the Wireless 411 Service.
People with questions or concerns should go to www.wireless411service.com for more information, a Wireless 411 Service Privacy white paper on the privacy and security built into the system, and for more detail on the facts of the service.
About Qsent
Qsent builds trusted relationships by validating identity with precise and timely contact information for high value business applications. Qsent customers are leading companies in wireless, telecommunications, financial services, government, shipping and logistics. Qsent is a privately-held corporation headquartered in Portland, Oregon. For more information about Qsent, please visit the website at: www.qsent.com
For more information about the Wireless 411 Service go to: www.wireless411service.com.
(TM) The Qsent name and logo are trademarks of Qsent, Inc., Portland, Oregon.
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