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January 7, 2002

Afshin Mohebbi
President and Chief Operating Officer
Qwest Communications
1801 California Street
Denver, CO 80202

Dear Mr. Mohebbi:

We are writing to you to urge you to suspend Qwest’s plan to use the records of telephone calls for marketing purposes based on simply the opt-out notice that was provided to Qwest customers in the most recent billing statement. We think the plan is unfair and needlessly jeopardizes the privacy of your customers.

Qwest’s website expresses the company’s commitment to protecting customer privacy. We applaud this goal. However, as customers are beginning to understand the consequences of the opt-out policy and have experienced numerous difficulties attempting to opt-out, many have begun to publicly question Qwest’s practices and policies.

Last year, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), joined by 18 consumer organizations, urged the Federal Communications Commission to reestablish the opt-in standard to safeguard telephone privacy. Recently, we were joined by the Attorneys General in more than 39 states who have also called on the FCC to support the opt-in standard.

Given the widespread problems encountered by consumers attempting to opt-out of the Qwest program, and in light of your company’s dedication to protecting customer privacy, we urge you to suspend this plan and to join us in asking the FCC to establish opt-in as a nationwide standard for telephone privacy.

Sincerely,

 

Marc Rotenberg
Executive Director
Mikal J. Condon
Staff Counsel