Withholding Your Telephone Number

NFH

robt wrote: »

The question is, has Orange ever marketed the 141 service, or have people just assumed?

It's not a marketable service but a standard convention followed by all UK networks (fixed line and mobile) since caller display was first introduced in the UK, and so the consumer has a reasonable expectation that the convention will be adhered to. In any case, Orange advises that "to hide your number when calling another person, enter 141 before the number, then make your call".

I wonder whether this is a breach by Orange of the Data Protection Act 1998, given that Orange is divulging its customers' phone numbers without the knowledge or consent of the customer.

robt_2

As far as I was aware it has never been 'standard convention' for mobile networks (that is not to say that it didn't work of course), as it was introduced by BT on landlines.

But that is irrelevant, as you have shown that Orange DOES tell people to use it.

All in all though, not a big deal.

proactive

NFH wrote: »

I wonder whether this is a breach by Orange of the Data Protection Act 1998, given that Orange is divulging its customers' phone numbers without the knowledge or consent of the customer.

surely its a bit far to suggest that they're in breach of the data protection act

NFH

robt wrote: »

All in all though, not a big deal.

On the contrary, it is a very big deal if Orange divulges your phone number to someone from whom you specifically wish to hide it. There are plenty of legitimate reasons why a customer might wish to do so. As I said, this sounds like a breach of the DPA.

NFH

proactive wrote: »

surely its a bit far to suggest that they're in breach of the data protection act

No, it's not a bit far at all. It is also specifically a breach of Section 11 of the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999.

proactive

but they do let you withhold your number don't they if you withhold it properly? the option to withhold your number is there so i'm unsure how this constitutes a breach

if i text a person but don't want them to know my number but it appears anyway, is this orange breaching the data protection act? presumably you'll say no because you can't hide your number on texts, but if the ability to hide your number on calls is there but people don't use it properly, how can orange be in breach of the dpa?

NFH

proactive wrote: »

but they do let you withhold your number don't they if you withhold it properly? the option to withhold your number is there so i'm unsure how this constitutes a breach

No they don't, because if the customer follows Orange's instructions and prefixes the dialled number with 141, then Orange breaches the regulations by divulging the caller's number to the called party.

proactive wrote: »

if i text a person but don't want them to know my number but it appears anyway, is this orange breaching the data protection act?

No. The regulations govern "outgoing calls", not outgoing texts. Section 36 extends the DPA for the purposes of the regulations.

SnowTiger

NFH wrote: »

...if the customer follows Orange's instructions and prefixes the dialled number with 141, then Orange breaches the regulations by divulging the caller's number to the called party

141 hides my number when I make a call via Orange.

IIRC 3 is/was the only network that didn't follow the 141 convention.

NFH

SnowTiger wrote: »

141 hides my number when I make a call via Orange.

It divulges your number if you as an Orange customer roam on to T-Mobile, as I stated above.

SnowTiger

NFH wrote: »

It divulges your number if you as an Orange customer roam on to T-Mobile, as I stated above.

Not here it doesn't. Have you reported it to Orange as a fault?