Virgin offers wireless number listing

We can only hope this doesn’t lead to bigger things. Virgin Mobile announced yesterday the launch of ListYourself!, a service that allows mobile users to have their number listed in a national directory. Yes, we see this is a step closer to a dreaded Mobile 411, a service we’ve decried since we first picked up a mobile phone. Now, it is an opt-in service, so it’s not the devil himself. But it’s definitely a step in that direction, and it’s just not something we’re willing to welcome.

ListYourself! is a fast and convenient way for Virgin Mobile USA’s more than 4.8 million customers to be listed in a national directory assistance database. Until now, such U.S. databases rarely included wireless phone numbers, preventing the millions of mobile phone users from being found in most directory assistance searches. Virgin Mobile USA’s new ListYourself! service allows its customers to submit their telephone numbers for inclusion in LSSiDATA’s industry-leading directory assistance database, used by over 60 telephone companies.

We appreciated the lack of wireless numbers. See, a mobile phone is really nothing like a home phone. It comes with us everywhere we go, and we don’t want certain people to be able to reach us on a whim. It also costs money to receive a call, whereas home phones go by the traditional “caller pays” model. These are our gripes with a mobile 411. Now, if people want to opt into a program like this, by all means do it. But please oh please don’t let this snowball into a scenario where everyone is listed, and we have to opt-out. We understand that more and more people are going mobile-only, so some people might feel a need to be listed. We’ve been mobile-only for two years now, and have zero desire to be listed. We’re sure there are plenty of others like us. The service, as it stands, seems like a quality one. We won’t deny them that. [Trading Markets]]]>