By Phil Goldstein

The FCC will vote later this month on new rules that clarify how carriers can  use their customers call data and to ensure the the data is better  protected.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 gives the FCC authority over how customer  proprietary network information (CPNI) can be used by telecom carriers. The new  CPNI rules would clarify when carriers need a customer’s consent to  use the data, and also direct the carriers on how they can protect the data from  falling into the wrong hands. The FCC is expected to vote on the ruling at its  June 27 meeting.
Under the ruling, it will be made clear that under  existing law, when a carrier stores sensitive customer information from voice  calls, it must protect that information and may use or disclose it only as  permitted by the Commission’s CPNI rules. The ruling only applies to carriers  and only concerns call data such as the number called, the length of the call,  and where a user was when on the call.

The ruling will also clarify that a carrier may collect this information but  must take “reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorized disclosure” of it.  When carriers collect such information about customers’ use of their devices  using preinstalled apps, the ruling will make clear that they are required to  protect that information. Carriers would need consent before transferring  customer data to a third party.

Read more: FCC to vote on new rules to protect wireless customers’ call data – FierceWireless http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/fcc-vote-new-rules-protect-wireless-customers-call-data/2013-06-06#ixzz2VSXqgzVB