Why are there no phone books for cell phones?

I am just curious to know why the cell phone industry can avoid
producing phone books? If you have regular phone line, your name,
address and phone number will be listed in the phone book as well as
it can be searched through the internet (unless you requested that it
is to be unlisted). How or why do this not apply for the cell phone?
Anyone ever see a phone book specifically containing cell phone
numbers? Is it because of the law or other conditions? I assume that
advertisers and media industries want to get their hand on the list of
the cell phone numbers and their owner.
Thanks for info.

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[email protected] wrote:

> I assume that
> advertisers and media industries want to get their hand on the list
> of
> the cell phone numbers and their owner.
> Thanks for info.

I don't know all the reasons why there are no cell phone books. What I
do know is, you'd be wise to add your cell phone numbers to the
national "do not call" list just in case the spammers ever get their
hand on such a phone book.

Tom J

At 21 Jun 2007 16:32:59 -0700 [email protected] wrote:
> I am just curious to know why the cell phone industry can avoid
> producing phone books? If you have regular phone line, your name,
> address and phone number will be listed in the phone book as well as
> it can be searched through the internet (unless you requested that it
> is to be unlisted). How or why do this not apply for the cell phone?


Because, as a general rule, at least in the United States, incoming
landline calls are "free" and unlimited to anyone with monthly service,
whereas cellphone calls are charged against the customers "bucket" of
allowed minutes.

> Anyone ever see a phone book specifically containing cell phone
> numbers?

Thank gawd, no.

> Is it because of the law or other conditions?

No, just simply marketing- the holders of the info (the cell providers)
know their customers would be pi**ed off royally if the company published
the numbers in print or on the web.

> I assume that
> advertisers and media industries want to get their hand on the list of
> the cell phone numbers and their owner.

Of course. But the first company that published a "cell phone directory"
of their subscribers would see a significant portion of their customers
jump to a company that didn't publish one. Do you think it'd be worth it
to them for the few crummy bucks marketing companies would pay for such a
list?

On Thu, 21 Jun 2007 16:32:59 -0700, [email protected] wrote:
>I am just curious to know why the cell phone industry can avoid
>producing phone books? If you have regular phone line, your name,
>address and phone number will be listed in the phone book as well as
>it can be searched through the internet (unless you requested that it
>is to be unlisted). How or why do this not apply for the cell phone?
>Anyone ever see a phone book specifically containing cell phone
>numbers? Is it because of the law or other conditions? I assume that
>advertisers and media industries want to get their hand on the list of
>the cell phone numbers and their owner.

But there are!
And the information is also available on the internet.

But it depends on which country you're in.