Fox 6 Reporter John Mattes nailed the issue with UCAN.   372016 [at] video [dot] fox6 [dot] com">http://www.fox6.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=372016 [at] video [dot] fox6 [dot] com 

Verizon Wireless will provide customer calling records (incoming, outgoing, email, text messaging) to only its agents, affiliates and subsidiaries.  The company alleged that it "does not sell customer information to third-party advertisers.  Instead, it's giving your information to its business alliances.  The company customer service told UCAN that the infomration was being gathered to study calling patterns, email patterns, and other patterns like text messaging for the sole purpose of learning what specific customers want most.

In your Customer Service Agreement, please carefully read the section called Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) where it states: 

Your Privacy — IMPORTANT INFORMATION — PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE MAKING YOUR PURCHASE DECISION

 In the course of providing services to you, we may collect certain information that is made available to us solely by virtue of our relationship with you, such as information about the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, and amount of your use of the telecommunications services you purchase. This information and related billing information is known as Customer Proprietary Network Information, or CPNI. (CPNI does not include your name, address, and wireless phone number.) Further, except as provided in this agreement, we won't intentionally share personal information about you without your permission. WE MAY USE AND SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU AND HOW YOU USE THE SERVICES: (A) SO WE CAN PROVIDE OUR GOODS OR SERVICES; (B) SO OTHERS CAN PROVIDE GOODS OR SERVICES TO US, OR TO YOU ON OUR BEHALF; (C) SO WE OR OUR AFFILIATES CAN COMMUNICATE WITH YOU ABOUT GOODS OR SERVICES THAT ANY OF US OFFER (ALTHOUGH YOU CAN CALL US ANY TIME IF YOU DON'T WANT US TO DO THIS); (D) TO PROTECT OURSELVES; OR (E) AS REQUIRED BY LAW, LEGAL PROCESS, OR EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES. IN ADDITION, WE MAY INCLUDE OUR OWN OR THIRD-PARTY ADVERTISING IN THE SERVICES YOU'VE PURCHASED FROM US, AND WE MAY SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU WITH AFFILIATES, VENDORS AND THIRD PARTIES TO, IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE REASONS, DELIVER RELEVANT ADVERTISING TO YOU WHILE USING THE SERVICES. WE MAY COLLECT AND TRANSMIT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES THROUGH APPLICATIONS OR OTHER SOFTWARE PRESENT ON YOUR DEVICE. IF YOU DO NOT WANT US TO COLLECT, TRANSMIT OR USE SUCH INFORMATION ABOUT YOU FOR THE ABOVE PURPOSES, YOU SHOULD NOT USE THE SERVICES; BY USING THE SERVICES, YOU EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZE US TO USE YOUR INFORMATION FOR THESE PURPOSES.  

Verizon Wireless' announcement to share your information has consequences.  If you pay online, the company has your email.  If you text message, affiliates and/or the company will know from your records that you utilize this feature and will send you text messages.  If the company and its affiliates know your calling patterns, you can get telemarketing calls on your cell phone.  Isn't it amazing that everything today requires an OPT-OUT versus an OPT-IN?  If we need and want these services so badly, why do we have to opt out to avoid them? 

If you don't want to get ads on your Verizon cell, call (800) 333-9956.  It wouldn't hurt to put every cell phone on the Do Not Call List at 1-888-382-1222, also!  Remember, the FCC doesn't consider bothering us as "Spam" if we have a business relationship with Verizon Wireless and fail to exercise the Opt-Out within 30 days of receiving the notice.  Of course, you can do it at any time thereafter.  But, who wants all the bother to get them to stop once affiliates, subsidiaries and agents have started bothering you.  The company spokesperson did not have any answer as to how frequently we could be blessed by these sales pitches!