An idea for Yellow Pages
An article in the Herald about how Yellow Pages sees 018 calls as a declining business due to increased cellphone use where people store common numbers.
This is true, but got me thinking of a new business model.
When someone rings your cellphone you see their name if they are in your contacts, otherwise only their number.
Wouldn’t it be great if Yellow Pages teamed up with the telcos so that if you get a call from a number not in your contacts, it shows you the name that number is registered to – if it is in their public directory.
I would happily pay a monthly fee for that service.
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Tags: mobile phones, Yellow Pages
October 1st, 2009 at 10:30 am
I would just like it when I ring 018 and ask for a Waipuk number I don’t get “Que?” on the other end of the phone.
[DPF: Yeah I have noticed that]
October 1st, 2009 at 10:33 am
Isn’t that just “caller id” David?
And just as in Kiwiblog, some subscribers chhose anonymity.
[DPF: Caller ID gives you the number, not the name]
October 1st, 2009 at 10:46 am
Nice idea, DPF
Am currently learning Java. Do you mind if I play around with that a bit?
[DPF: Don't need my permission]
October 1st, 2009 at 10:49 am
I have the problem that everytime I ring 018 it takes 10-15 rings before someone picks up. Surely they could have some on-hold music, or maybe more operators?
October 1st, 2009 at 10:50 am
I have the problem that everytime I ring 018 it takes 10-15 rings before someone picks up. Surely they could have some on-hold music, or maybe more operators?
The wait is all the switching through to the Philipines. And yes, at about three schekels a week you think that they would have a whole lot of operators.
October 1st, 2009 at 11:01 am
yellow pages is still in business?
October 1st, 2009 at 11:04 am
Was being polite.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:10 pm
DPF,
I’m against your suggestion.
This would seriously curtail my anonymous obscene phone-call tally.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:22 pm
I believe that’s actually illegal DPF – it’s a reverse lookup for individuals which is illegal in the UK and I think used to be illegal here.
Crazy but true.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Gareth – well we should change the law to allow people to opt in. I would be happy for people to see my name when I call them.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
I think they have that in Europe. My bank rang me today and their name came up, not the number and they are definitely not in my contacts.
“I would happily pay a monthly fee for that service.”
- as the business ringing out or the receiver answering the phone? I don’t think many individuals would pay extra for that, but I am sure many companies would pay a fee to have it on a range of numbers from their company – branding, customer service etc.
October 1st, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Yeah I think it falls under the Privacy Act somewhere (not sure if it’s specifically or just by case law). Might be in the Telco Act though.
October 5th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Hey David, i work for Yellow and thought you might appreciate a response from me.
Thats a good idea but reverse lookup is illegal in NZ, I believe you may also run into problems with this when one phone number may belong to multiple persons i.e. in household’s and businesses. There may be other problem’s with redundant data etc when numbers are transferred.
Thanks for the suggestion!
[DPF: Ta. I must add to my list of future law changes, allowing reverse lookups so long as the person has opted in to say they are happy for people to do so!]