The mobile phone directory service 118 800 has been temporarily suspended.

The controversial 118 800 mobile phone directory service has been suspended for major service improvements.

The service, which began in June, offers connections to around 15 million mobile numbers via an online directory for a fee of £1. The numbers are gained from market research companies, various online businesses and brokers.

Mobile numbers are never directly given out to customers. By requesting a number through the 118 800 website, customers fill in the first and last name of the person and their location, and then the person gets sent a text with the customer’s details.

Alternatively, by ringing 118 800, the customer gives the same details and then the service calls the mobile number requested and asks permission to patch the customer through.

Although the service insists it never directly reveals a person’s mobile number, it is not without its critics. Speaking on BBC1’s Working Lunch programme, Chris Watson, a lawyer at CMS Cameron McKenna, said: “You’re supposed to have people’s consent if you’re going to pass their number around and they need to know where it’s going to go.

“When people ticked a box a few years ago saying they had no objection to it going to the company… they won’t have anticipated that not only will it go trading companies, but anyone under the sun.”

The suspension in service has worried some mobile phone holders who have applied to be ex-directory from the list for fear of receiving uninvited cold calls.

Connectivity, the company behind the service, apologised for the inconvenience and said on the website: “All ex-directory requests made by people in our directory to date are being processed. There will be no need to resend these requests. And we will take further ex-directory requests when the service resumes. We will not be taking ex-directory requests by phone or text whilst the service is not operational.

“Please do not call us on 118 800 for anything other than landline directory enquiry requests as you will be charged for the call.”

For all enquiries while the service is down, email: contact@118800.co.uk ^[1] or write to: 118 800, PO Box 2747, Reading RG30 4ZQ.