118800 Update

Last week I posted a piece about the new mobile directory that was to be launched on 118800, I had received word both of the directory’s existence and of a way to opt my number out from the 15m that are stored.

Today I see on their website that this service is suspended, and it looks like it may be suspended indefinitely. Apparently there was a very large take up of the opt-out service in recent weeks, as emails warning of it circulated around the Internet.

I understand that Privacy concerns were met during the inception of this directory, but I have to say I would not want my phone number on it. Anyone I want to have my mobile number already has it, and I do not give it out to companies. People of a like mind to me will probably not be too upset to see this development.

I am wondering if perhaps directories have had their day. Instead of companies collating lists of phone numbers and distributing them, surely in the age of the Internet it would now be more sensible if people opted into phone directories. Anyone who wants their landlines and/or mobile numbers listed can go the relevant page or phone the relevant number…. Everyone else could be left out. Some people do want to be a part of the phone book; I have never once seen any benefit for it. Not sure what the consensus would be here, perhaps I am in the minority.

Public Service Information

From Mid-July there will be a mobile phone directory at 118 800 which aims to list every active UK mobile number in the country. This information will be held in the normal manner of a 118 directory service and will also contain the numbers for minors and the elderly. The database is largely unfiltered and obviously there will be companies interested in purchasing call lists that will be available – as such very soon you, and/or your friends and loved ones could well be subject to unsolicited and unwanted marketing calls.

The database is said to have over 15m numbers collected from market research firms, online businesses (collected from websites where people did not exclude their number from being passed along by ticking the privacy box) and also from brokerage firms who buy and sell personal data, such as telephone numbers. The information on this database has been purchased in a manner which has satisfied the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which investigates allegations of breaches into the Data Protection Act.

If this does not sound like something you would like your number(s) to be a part of, [and I include myself in that] then you can go ex-directory before the launch of this service by following a few simple steps… I have done this myself today and it takes less than 2 minutes. You need to have the mobile to hand that you wish to go ex-directory on. It is free and you do not need to enter any personal details other than the phone number you wish to be excluded from the database.

1. Go to this link http://www.118800.co.uk/removeme/remove-me.html

2. Click “Home”, then “Ex-Directory”

3. Enter your mobile number and the security words that appear on screen

4. This will take you to a new page where you need to enter a 5 digit code – this will be text to you a few moments after entering that page

That’s it, you should be done.