Verizon, AT&T, Others Make Big Bucks Sharing Customer Data

Re:Verizon, AT&T, Others Make Big Bucks Sharing Customer Data by pcurve on Sunday July 22, 2012 @01:48PM (#4277938)

Considering how much AT&T makes, $8.2million is drop in a bucket. With potential backlash from privacy groups and customers, I'm sure the carrier would be happy to forgo that particular source of revenue if they weren't legally compelled to do so.

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Re:Verizon, AT&T, Others Make Big Bucks Sharing Customer Data by vjeux on Sunday July 22, 2012 @02:02PM (#4277996)

In 2011, AT&T made 22 billion in revenue for wireless data. 8.2 million is 0.03% (if I didn't make a mistake). I wouldn't call that big bucks.

http://www.att.com/Common/about_us/annual_report/pdfs/att_ar...

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Re:Verizon, AT&T, Others Make Big Bucks Sharing Customer Data by TDL on Sunday July 22, 2012 @02:36PM (#4278099)

To piggy back on your comment, overall ATT generated $126.7 billion in revenues in FY 2011. There are more important issues at stake here, focusing in on the financial aspects is missing the mark.

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Re:Verizon, AT&T, Others Make Big Bucks Sharing Customer Data by otoburb on Sunday July 22, 2012 @03:27PM (#4278251)

> With potential backlash from privacy groups and customers [...]

We should be glad that this type of backlash is ready to rear it's head. The limiting factor to the revenues gathered from data sharing are public/contractual commitments to protect consumer privacy and the threat of consumer backlash. The key here is that the data sharing is only with law enforcement -- we're all lucky that they're not actively sharing with: a) each other or b) other corporate interests

I don't know how much longer that can or will last though. Ad exchanges are becoming easier and easier to integrate with each passing quarter, along with a wider variety of bidders. Depending on the evolving bid action, carriers searching for alternate growth revenue streams may (have already?) seriously consider(ed) how much this type of data sharing is worth.

The great news is that this type of exercise has a lot of hurdles (regulatory, consumer privacy, integration and billing, consumer permission, growth justification) to overcome before they graduate from sharing with just law enforcement to a wider audience.

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