What is Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI)?
Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI) is defined by the FCC as:
- information that relates to the quantity, technical configuration, type, destination, location, and amount of use of a telecommunications service subscribed to by any customer of a telecommunications carrier, and that is made available to the carrier by the customer solely by virtue of the carrier-customer relationship; and
- information contained in the bills pertaining to telephone exchange service or telephone toll service received by a customer of a carrier.
Practically speaking, CPNI includes information such as the phone numbers called; the frequency, duration, and timing of telephone calls; the bill amount; and any telecommunications services purchased by the customer. CPNI, therefore, may include highly-sensitive personal information.
For further information on the FCC’s ruling on customer privacy, please visit
https://www.fcc.gov/general/customer-privacy.