[科技前沿]在線電話號碼查詢服務被叫停

在線電話號碼查詢服務被叫停

來源：The Guardian 編輯：Vicki

一項爭議性很強的網絡服務最近被叫停。該項網絡服務向網民提供了上百萬的電話號碼，用戶只要繳納1英鎊就可以將自己想要的聯繫人號碼從中找到，並於6月份開始使用，然而就在項目推出幾個星期後，就被叫停，這究竟是怎麼回事呢？一起來看看吧

Mobile phone directory suspended

A controversial service which allows connection to millions of mobile phone numbers in an online directory has been suspended（停止）, just weeks after it was launched. The 118 800 service, which charges up to £1 to put people in touch with a mobile number from its list, went live in June. Since then it has been deluged （洪水般涌來）with people trying to remove their details from the system.

The site had caused concerns about privacy after it emerged it was making available details of 15m mobile phone numbers it had bought from market researchers and list brokers.

Consumers who wanted their numbers removed from the site were told they needed to log on （登錄）and apply to be ex-directory（退出電話簿）.

Those who tried to do so late last week were unable to access the site. Visitors are now told the service is unavailable online and by phone while "major developments" are undertaken "to improve the experience for our customers".

The message says: "All ex-directory requests made by people in our directory to date are being processed. There will be no need to resend these requests.

"And we will take further ex-directory requests when the service resumes. We will not be taking ex-directory requests by phone or text whilst the service is not operational."

Last week the office of the Information Commissioner（信息專員） said it wanted to talk to Connectivity, the site behind the 118 800 service, to find out how it planned to protect consumers against having their numbers included against their will.

However, a spokeswoman for 118 800 said the site's owners had earlier talked to the Commissioner and ensured the site did comply with （服從）UK laws. She said the suspension of the site and phone directory service were a result of "technical glitches" that meant parts of the site needed rebuilding and that the suspension （暫停，中止）would be temporary.

In a statement, 188 800 said: "The high number of queries 118 800 has received since launching have highlighted some technical glitches（小過錯） in the system. To ensure 118 800 provides faultless（完美無缺的） customer service the decision has been made to temporarily suspend the service allowing for technical work to be completed.

"All requests to be made 'ex directory' that have been sent to the service, via the website or text message, are being dealt with and these numbers will be made ex-directory. There will be no need to resend these requests to 118 800. 118 800 will begin taking further ex-directory requests as soon as the service is resumed.

"118 800 apologies for any inconvenience this has caused callers and will release a further statement once the service is up and running at full capacity."

The landline （座機）directory service at 118 800 is still operational.

Keke View：作爲一種客戶服務甚至是盈利的業務，世界上很多電信業務公司都爲用戶提供電話接入方式的號碼查詢（Directory enquiry service或Directory assistance services）和號碼信息簿（也就是我們俗稱的電話白頁和電話黃頁，國外有些國家稱爲號碼信息業務Directory information service）等服務。電話接入的號碼查詢業務是指接線員通過語音提供的電話號碼查詢業務，例如中國電信提供的“114”查號臺業務。號碼信息簿（白頁和黃頁）業務指爲客戶提供文本方式的號碼出版物的業務，實際上除了這兩大類產品外，國外還出現了Internet查詢等各種類似或者相關的業務，爲了便於闡述，我們下面如果沒有特殊的說明，我們簡稱爲號碼查詢業務（Directory Service）。