Verizon 'disciplines' employees for unauthorized accessing of Obama's phone records

Washington, Nov 21 : Verizon Wireless, the second largest wireless telecommunications network in the US, has reportedly sent its employees on indefinite leave with pay who "accessed and viewed" President-elect Barack Obama's personal cell phone account without authorization.

The firm said it was evaluating the circumstances of each employee's access to the account to determine appropriate action, including disciplinary proceedings, reported the Washington Post.

"We apologize to President-elect Obama and will work to keep the trust our customers place in us every day," the paper quoted Verizon's Chief Executive Lowell McAdam as saying in an official statement issued after the incident.

Obama's account has been inactive for several months, the company said.

The paper quoted Verizon as saying that Obama's phone was a voice flip-phone as opposed to a Blackberry or other smartphone device that is more suited for heavy e-mail and other data services.

ANI