FCC to Work On Directory Assistance

The Federal Communications Commission has taken steps to improve directory assistance by making the service more competitive. The decision could make receiving a wrong number or bad information from directory assistance a thing of the past.

The FCC is requiring local phone companies to make their vast databases of number listings available to businesses that provide directory assistance services. The action attempts to lessen the competitive advantage maintained by dominant phone companies, such as the nation's regional Bells, which control most local directory listings because of their large market share.

For that reason, other companies offering directory assistance may not be able to offer up-to-date or accurate listings to their customers, putting them on an uneven playing field, officials say.

The FCC says the Bells and other dominant local phone carriers must make their listings available at reasonable rates to rival phone companies or independent contractors that then provide directory assistance to traditional landline or even wireless carriers.

Some businesses opt to get their directory assistance from an independent company, rather than going through their phone provider.

The FCC says the move should lead to better quality and lower prices for consumers, including more accurate information.

The commission's decision also extends to Internet directories. Companies that publish phone directories on the Internet also should not be restricted in how they display this information or allow consumers to access it, the agency says.