What is CPNI? Did you get the AT&T email? Could you opt-out? #privacy #PRfail

What is CPNI? Who writes the AT&T garbage AND UNDECIPHERABLE e-mails that end up TELLING me about my account and then when I read very carefully are broken when I try to do something about it? Like opt-out?

According to AT&T CPNI is important information about the privacy of my customer information. You read the info below as ask yourself.

1. Is it clear and easy to read?
2. What and why are they asking for this in plain English that my mother could understand.
3. Why did I receive it? I’m a mobile customer. What does that have to do with VoIP? Or Internet Protocol. I just make phone calls don’t I and have a data plan for the internet? To my knowledge I don’t purchase VoIP services from AT&T currently. So what is this really for?
4. Basically they want to share my data – to what end I have no idea. However, there is not suggestion of a benefit for me.
5. Where do I opt out? Oh really hidden text . By this point I figure that 90% of the people will have ignored it as too complex to understand thinking – what’s the risk.
6. Click the link. Try to opt out. It failed for me. Doesn’t recognize my account. Then says use the account at the top of the email. I don’t use that account number – guess I could log in and try and find it. AT&T makes it hard because my account works with them using my phone number! That’s what they have trained me to use.
7. So as I can’t log-in and opting out might take hours to resolve AT&T will just start using my CPNI. SUCKS.
8. What is CPNI – Well as they say it is my “Customer Proprietary Network Information”. See Wikipedia.
9. AT&T doesn’t bother to sign the e-mail. There is no person that executed this – just various numbers. No one department seems to take responsiblity. Who worries about communications? Obviously not at the top.
10. I’m the customer – it’s obvious that AT&T isn’t really on my side. It’s reinforced over and over. They are also similar to any of the other mobile operators. So it’s almost pointless to complain. However, complain we all should. It’s getting more serious by the day.

I’d have to be a lawyer and an expert to actually know what’s going on. Just be certain that notes like these are never really for your benefit. Still AT&T how many times till I can opt-out as easily as I can from any other spam email?

Note from AT&T below.

An important message about the privacy of your customer information (Customer Proprietary Network Information or CPNI)

Dear STUART HENSHALL,
Regarding Your Account: xxxxxxxxx4444
The protection of our customers’ privacy is of utmost importance to the employees and management of the AT&T family of companies (AT&T)*.  Please take a moment to read the following important message about the privacy of your customer information.

AT&T companies that provide telecommunications and interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service (which permits VoIP customers to both send and receive calls to/from customers with traditional telephone/telecommunications service) would like to share your customer proprietary network information within the AT&T family of companies for our own marketing purposes, including using that information to offer you additional products and services.

What is CPNI? Your CPNI includes the types of telecommunications and interconnected VoIP services you currently purchase, how you use them and the related billing for those services. CPNI does not include your telephone number, your name or your address. Protecting the confidentiality of your CPNI is your right and our duty under federal law.

As an AT&T customer, you can restrict the use of your CPNI even within the AT&T family of companies. To allow AT&T to use your CPNI, no further action is required. AT&T will not use your CPNI to offer you other products and services until at least 33 days after this notice was mailed to you. AT&T and our authorized agents will not sell, trade or share your CPNI with anyone other than those who are in the AT&T family of companies or are AT&T authorized agents, unless required by law.

If at any time you would prefer that AT&T not use your CPNI to offer you additional products and services, you may:

- Click

here  

to submit your request electronically

- Call

1.800.315.8303  

 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and follow the prompts

- Call

1.800.288.2020 

 and speak to a service representative

Your decision to permit or restrict the use of CPNI will remain in effect until you decide to change it – which you can do at any time without charge. Restricting our use of your CPNI will not affect the provision of any AT&T products or services to which you currently subscribe, nor will it eliminate other types of marketing contacts.

Thank you for choosing AT&T. We appreciate your business. *The AT&T family of companies are those AT&T companies that provide communications-related products and/or services, including the AT&T local and long distance companies, AT&T Corp., AT&T Long Distance, AT&T Internet Services, AT&T Mobility, and other subsidiaries or affiliates of AT&T Inc. that provide, design, market or sell these products and/or services. Thank you,AT&T Online Serviceswww.att.com 

PS. I tried calling as well. They want the account number – not my phone number and don’t recognize that I’m calling in on my AT&T mobile phone. In other words this whole process is made extremely difficult and it was designed purposely like this by AT&T to make sure the fewest number opt-out. To add insult to injury they suggest on the phone that I can just look at my bill. Well it is an online bill and yes I do know where to find this account number – I think.