Barasch v. Bell Telephone Co.

OPINION OF THE COURT

PAPADAKOS, Justice.

In this appeal we are called upon to address the legality of “Caller*ID” service which Appellant, The Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania (Bell), proposes to offer to its customers. For the reasons set forth below, we agree with the Commonwealth Court that “Caller*ID” violates our Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act, 18 P.C.S. §§ 5701-5781, and hence cannot now be offered in Pennsylvania. The facts on which this appeal is based are as follows.

On January 18, 1989, Bell filed a revision to Tariff Pa. PUC No. 1, proposing that various new…