I presume that there is an obligation on BT to provide all addresses with at least one local telephone directory ("Phonebook"). How is this financed? I wonder, do all telephone providers contribute to its operation?
In the past, organisations like BT (formally, as part of GPO) were public utilities which existed
to provide services to the public. Today, telecommunications services in the UK are provided by competing operators whose objectives are
to generate a return for shareholders by supplying services to "consumers".
Clearly, universal provision of telephone directories (that consist solely of lists of phone numbers for residential and business addresses) is a public service. Service users neither have a say in or, knowingly at least, contribute. Thus, the service provider, BT, must surely be compelled to perform this task and does not do so as part of its drive to generate profit for its shareholders.
I wonder why it is that telephone directories have not been released into the lap of free market enterprise. After all, many other parts of telecommunications services have been.
SilentCallsVictim wrote on Mar 18
th, 2010 at 1:31pm:
I can see no reference to any attempt to establish how an opt-in system would work.
With little thought, it seems obvious that the cost would mean that in effect this is a campaign for the abolition of phonebooks.
When I made my posting on this topic (above), I took it as read that the outcome would be that some administrative system would be devised to deliver Phonebooks to those who ordered them. I appreciate that this would most probably mean that those who "consumed" them would have to pay more for them than they do now.
I am interested to understand why you think that this campaign is effectively calling for the abolition of telephone directories. Do you think that the prospective cost for buying one will be that high that this will put off "consumers"?
There is one further point worth noting and that is now that BT has disposed of its Yellow Pages arm, it has started again from square one with classified listings, this time in the front of its Phonebooks. Thus, they do not consist solely of lists of business and residential telephone numbers, but advertisements paid for by clients.
BT is therefore moving its Phonebook operation away from being a compulsory chore by increasing its profitability. This means that it is much more likely to come out in defence of any attack on its telephone directory universal service obligation.