US West Inc directory enquiry operators routinely gave out subscribers’ addresses as well as telephone numbers where requested (CI No 1,189) until January 1, when it ended the practice because it was worried that the service put it outside the rules governing its business – but when it stopped, it was greeted by howls of protest from organisations representing the disabled complaining that those who are blind or severely physically disabled were being denied access to necessary information, and so it went back and asked the Justice Department for a waiver, which was granted on May 26 because Justice recommended the move and no-one lodged any objections.
