Reverse Directory Phone

On several sites you can “reverse search” in telephone directories, so based on a song name and address of a subscriber trace. If you would like to offer you a CD phone directory crack or anything illegal done. But what if you could legally to that data, should it? Or conversely seek to conflict with privacy?  I would not immediately say that the “cracking” of a phone directory CD is illegal. It is very doubtful whether one is sitting on them by database directory. You have a database right if only because you’ve invested substantially in the phone itself. It seems to me well arguable that a telephone is a by-product of maintaining a telecommunication service.




Only here is the complication that the KPN telephone housed in a separate company (BV The Telephone, in fact) whose main activity is the maintenance of the telephone. The argument is that investments by DTG purely designed to guide and thus no byproducts. I can not immediately refute the argument, but I do have great difficulty that a non-protected database if you still protected but in a separate company stops. Anyway, let us assume that there is indeed no database right in a directory.

Can you do a reverse search service? Directories are the Telecommunications Act, Article 11.6. It requires consent for inclusion in the guide, and also have separate approval for reverse search in paragraph 3. To my knowledge only Telecom providers ask for permission to you “the Guide” be included, so that’s no consents for reverse search. A reverse-search service can not lawfully be offered, unless the provider of special permission requests to the relevant subscribers.

In 2007, OPTA DTG tried to let these services, just that argument. OPTA, however, found that inappropriate:

The College believes that the phenomenon of “reverse searching” in itself not as an invasion of privacy is perceived, to the extent that interest is protected by Article 11.6, third paragraph, of the Tw. The Directive prohibits reverse search is not and there are countries where “reverse search” is legal. In addition to the College over the last two years no complaints received from individuals (ie individuals or consumers) without their consent on the provision of opportunities for reverse search.

Noteworthy: based on privacy, the requirement of separate consent entered but reverse search is not a violation of privacy. But if there is no consumer complaints have been received, then the OPTA does not really act. The idea seems to be that people who care about their privacy, not already in the guide are (or take an anonymous prepaid). DTG that the annoying, is not an argument, since Article 11.6 is the end user and not the provider.

I can draw only the conclusion “it can not, but until people start complaining scale, the OPTA will not occur. So long as the reverse-search services, but small and unobtrusive enough remain, they can continue to operate in the margins. You can find more information here.

In June last year reported that the State has a number of market participants “considered this service to offer. I assume that Telecom operators themselves, which then go through the registration form to arrange permission. I am curious what happens. So what do you think? Leave comment in the comment section below.