118 800 mobile phone directory may stay offline permanently

I wrote back on 10th June

https://www.finextra.com/blogs/fullblog.aspx?blogid=2942

and 13th July about the new UK Mobile Phone Directory

https://www.finextra.com/blogs/fullblog.aspx?blogid=3057

Good news for Privacy advocates is that following a wave of negative publicity, after initially saying the service was operating within the rules, the Office of the Information Commissioner has announced that it is mounting an investigation into the length of time [4 weeks] before mobile users requesting their data be removed from the database had their numbers deleted.

A spokesperson for the ICO said that the investigation into the service had already started and would likely continue, since the downing of the 118 800 service is officially temporary.

The investigation will also look at how Connectivity is - or was - complying with the provisions of the UK's data protection and privacy legislation.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that this might be the final straw for Connectivity.