Mobile operators are aggressively preparing for the coming of mobile marketing. However, some initiatives are not getting positive response from the mobile consumers.

Recently, Verizon Wireless is sending a snail mail notice to their subscribers about Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI). It contains our personal information such as call records, call duration, costs, and how often we call.

Verizon Wireless wants to share that very private information to third party advertisers so they can annoy us with mobile ads. Since they are mandated by law to get our consent, they are giving us 30 days upon receipt of the notice to opt out. Otherwise, they will assume we are willing victims ready to suffer for the duration of our contract.

In defense of its policy, Verizon Wireless cleared in its Policy Blog that they are not selling personal customer information to third-part advertisers. It also added:

The Opt-Out notices we’re providing to our customers are so they can opt-out of our sharing their basic information with other Verizon companies, and that’s it. We’re only asking customers whether they want to opt out now, because we wanted to make sure our back-office systems - I.T., customer service, etc. - were all ready to go to handle customer questions.

While this is comforting to know, Jason of Skydeck questioned the definition of “authorized companies”. Written on page 8 of Customer Proprietary Network Information Notice is a broad list of companies:

we may include our own or third-party advertising in the services you’ve purchased from us, and we may share information about you [information here includes CPNI] with affiliates, vendors and third parties to … deliver relevant advertising to you while using the services.

Clearly, Verizon Wireless and other mobile operators should not hide behind technical jargons. They shoud exert extra effort to educate the mobile users about their initiatives so it will not appear deceitful.