Groups push for FCC to act on text-message blocking

The Federal Communications Commission needs to prohibit mobile phone carriers from blocking text messages from competitors, a group of advocacy groups said Monday. Mobile carriers continue to block text messages sent by competitors and there's nothing stopping them from blocking political messages, said officials with Public Knowledge, Free Press, and other groups. The groups first raised concerns about text-message blocking last September, when Verizon Wireless blocked Naral Pro-Choice America from sending messages to people who opted into a text-message campaign. Even though Verizon Wireless quickly reversed its decision after media reports on its blocking of Naral's messages, the FCC needs to put rules in place, said Gigi Sohn, president of Public Knowledge. "If wireless carriers are allowed to decide who can speak to whom, it has huge implications for free speech, civic discourse, accessibility for the disabled ... and for competition," Sohn said. Public Knowledge and other groups filed comments Monday in the FCC's inquiry into text-message blocking. Free Press, Public Knowledge, and other groups filed a complaint with the FCC in December.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/14/Groups-push-FCC-to-act-on-text-message-blocking_1.html

* Public Knowledge and Advocacy Groups Urge FCC To Protect Text Messaging Rights
http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1520