Traditionally, telephone rates were tariffed, and the terms of the customer's relationship with the company were spelled out in tariffs. But the tariffs were one- sided, and the carriers could change the rates and terms without even telling their customers. In a more competitive market, as long distance is today, we don't need tariffs. The relationship ought to be one in which the carrier tells you directly when it wants to change the terms of its offering. It ought not to be able to file some piece of paper with us and then have you be bound by it.
Telecommunications carriers obtain a great deal of sensitive information about their customers.
They don't just know your name, address, and telephone number. They also know who you call, and when, and how long you talk. They know whether you pay your bills promptly or not. Congress understood the growing concern of consumers about their diminishing control of the information vendors collect about them. That's why Congress enacted strong privacy protections.