Cell phone directory - why Verizon doesn't want it

This morning on the news I heard that a cell phone directory is in the works. Opponents are many. But one member of the opponents suprised the commentator, Verizon Wireless. The explaination for their concern was that their cell phone customers would be inundated with unwanted calls and text messages. I think the concern is more closely rooted to their bottom line.

Imagine this, the year is 2005, it is mid-summer. A class action lawsuit has just come before the courts in which Verizon Wireless is the defendant. The suit charges that Verizon Wireless is unfairly charging its customers by charging them for incoming calls and text messages, particuarlly when those calls are unwanted. Right now, Verizon makes $.02 off of each incoming text message, so it the lawyers claim they profitting by these unsolicieted emails that they have done nothing to stop.

The jurors, whose distaste for the American corporation runs deep, find for the plaintifs and as part of the settlement Verizon has to stop charging for all incoming messages and phone calls. Verizon loses big!

Possible? I would say yes. Probable, who knows. But I think Verizon is covering their butts - "...but, your honor, we opposed the directory whereby the marketers got our customer's numbers. We can't be held responsible for something we didn't want either."