Consumer Groups Defend Right to Receive Mobile Adverts

Eight consumer and public interest groups filed a complaint with the FCC, protesting an incident in which Verizon Wireless blocked text messages sent by NARAL Pro-Choice America, an abortion rights group.

The petition states carriers should not be able to block texts sent by political groups or advertisers.

But the group also cites another incident, where Verizon blocked messages from VoIP provider Rebtel.

A correspondence from Rebtel to MarketingVox editors stated that in addition to blocking Rebtel media messages, Verizon also blocks informational texts containing local phone numbers its customers can use to call friends abroad.

"Verizon is deciding what its customer can and can not send to one another. That’s pretty Big Brother," stated an associate for SparkPR, which represents Rebtel.

But if the FCC honors the consumer groups' petition, it may liberate dramatic amounts of mobile messages — including spam and untargeted advertising — that carriers have held at bay.

Supposedly in the interest of subscribers, Verizon blocks between 100 million and 200 million mobile texts per month.