Should Cellular Services Block Unsolicited Text Messages?

A complaint was filed with the U.S. Federal Communication Commission by eight public-interest and consumer groups, saying that providers of mobile phone should not be capable of blocking text messages from biased groups and advertisers. The appeal, from America's Consumer Federation, Public Knowledge, Union of consumers and other groups, came after Verizon wireless decided in September to block on its network the text messages from abortion group rights, and then they changed the decision on the same day when it was reported by the media. The appeal filed said that currently mobile carriers can arbitrarily determine what customers to serve up and which speech to facilitate on text messages, denying serving those customers they find notorious or that compete with the services of mobile carriers. This kind of prejudice would be illegal and unimaginable in the world of voice communications, and it should be applied in the world of text messaging as well. Verizon wireless and other service providers have also blocked voice over internet protocol i.e. VoIP from promoting its low priced mobile voice calls services on their networks. Service providers agreed publicly that they deprived of Rebtel's request as their services contended with their own.

The appeal made by people said that wireless industry should not be allowed to formulate these prejudiced decisions. One of Verizon Wireless spokesman said that services providers should not be forced to carry advertising from rivals.

They called it a 'mistake' and 'an isolated event' of blocking text-messaging campaign. If the appeal is granted by FCC, millions of sections of text spam mobile phone networks would be opened up. Verizon wireless presently blocks between 100-200 million unsolicited text messages promoting pornography and other products. In U.S. text messaging will rapidly turn out to be unusable due to all the unblocked spam. A CEO of spam filtering vendor said that a comprehensive ban against blocking text-message can lead to major problems. In some parts of southeastern Asia, subscribers of mobile phone have already started receiving more than 20 spam text messages per day. Even the rules that restrict service providers from blocking text messages from non-profit or political groups can also open subscribers up to spam. It was said by consumer groups that text blocking is proof of a need for net impartiality rules, which would forbid network providers from slowing or blocking content from rivals. For many people, calling has been replaced by texting as a way of being in touch, therefore FCC is required to set the rules for whole industry and in favor of generation of people who are dependent on texting. As such there is no place for biasness in text messaging.