http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/27/news...nwireless.ap/i
ndex.htm?postversion=2007092711

Verizon U-turn on abortion rights program
Carrier vacillates over request by Naral Pro-Choice America to use
company's mobile network for a sign-up text messaging program.
September 27 2007: 11:04 AM EDT
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Reversing course, Verizon Wireless said Thursday it
will allow an abortion rights group to use its mobile network for a sign-up
text messaging program.

The announcement came a day after the Basking Ridge-based unit of Verizon
Communications Inc. said it had denied a request by Naral Pro-Choice
America for the program.

"The decision to not allow text messaging on an important, though
sensitive, public policy issue was incorrect, and we have fixed the process
that led to this isolated incident," Verizon Wireless spokesman Jeffrey
Nelson said in a statement.

"Upon learning about this situation, senior Verizon Wireless (Charts,
Fortune 500) executives immediately reviewed the decision and determined it
was an incorrect interpretation of a dusty internal policy," Nelson said.
"That policy, developed before text messaging protections such as spam
filters adequately protected customers from unwanted messages, was designed
to ward against communications such as anonymous hate messaging and adult
materials sent to children."

The program by Naral, based in Washington, D.C., lets people sign up to
receive its text messages by punching in a message to a five-digit number.
Known as "short codes," the five-digit numbers have become a popular way to
get updates on everything from sports to politics to entertainment news.

Other leading wireless carriers have accepted Naral's request to use their
networks.

Nelson on Wednesday had said that abortion was among topics barred from
mass distribution based on the company's code of content, but noted that
the code had been developed "before text-messaging became a mass-market
phenomenon."