Unlisted Telkom numbers available for all to see
The ‘white pages’ phonebook available on the Yellowpages website ( http://phonebook.yellowpages.co.za/home.jsp ) lists the details of many subscribers who supposedly have unlisted numbers.
MyADSL tested this system and numbers that were allegedly unlisted by Telkom did indeed show up with a simple surname search.
Subscribers are not happy.
“My home phone has been unlisted for the past fourteen years, and what do I find? I type in my surname and region, and my phone number and complete residential address are returned! This is unbelievable,” said one MyADSL forumite. “…it’s a violation of my requested privacy!!” said another.
A similar complaint was published on the HelloPeter website. “I find the publishing of details – without proper authorization – that one may consider private, absolutely deplorable!” the posting said.
Yellowpages said that they only list numbers received from Telkom or where clients have explicitly requested for their numbers to be listed. Users can request Yellowpages to remove their number from their directory by faxing (011) 677 6830.
This is not the first time this issue has raised its head. Back in 2002 many Telkom subscribers with unlisted numbers were very unhappy to see that the EasyInfo directory contained their phone numbers, names and addresses.
Telkom Directory Services, available on (011) 677 6000, said that any number not listed in their directory should also not be listed online. Telkom subscribers are urged to contact the directory services to make certain that their numbers are in fact unlisted as requested.
Telkom did not supply any feedback by the time of publication.
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