Your Telephone Bill is Top Secret

January 14, 2026

My Phone Bill is a Secret?

Your Telephone Bill is Top Secret

In your business, do you have "top secret" information? Of course you do. Your phone bill is probably the second most secret item, after passwords.

Nation states must protect critical information like military plans, lists of secret agents and spies, and strategic economic plans. They label this information as "top secret" and only a few people have access.

The reason countries keep this data secret is that release could have very serious consequences for the government and it's leaders. Enemies could use this data in many ways, not least is a successful military invasion!

Businesses have to keep some data top secret too. The most obvious secret is a list of passwords. But other information is important too, like your phone bill. What, my phone bill?

Why is My Phone Bill a Secret?

Your phone bill should be secret because it contains the contact information for many important customers. And important suppliers. Even if names are not listed, it's pretty easy to connect a name or company name to a phone number.

Keeping your customer list secret is very important. You have to keep it secret from other customers and certainly from competitors.

A competitor could steal valuable customers and you might never really know. Losing some customers might cost you the business!

Your business may also rely on a few very important suppliers.

Suppose your competition learned who your suppliers where, would that hurt your business? Very probably it would, especially if they could get access to purchase orders and pricing information, in addition to stocking the same products you need.

You should also ensure that employees with access will promise not to disclose these lists or use them for themselves, especially after they leave employment. This is done usually with a Non Disclosure Agreement, or NDA.

What should you do?

Here is a checklist:

• Review who has access to your phone bill. If it arrives by mail then cancel the postal delivery and ensure that online access only is available just to you, and perhaps your accountant if they are responsible for payables.
• Make sure that historical copies of the phone bill are equally protected, online in a standard folder. Shred old paper copies unless they are the only copy.
• Locate your customer lists. It's probably in several places, like the contact lists of several employee email accounts or a CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) app that holds all customer data. Not just sales people, also customer service people might have this info.
• Verify that only the select few can access your CRM or email contacts lists. If needed, change the location or access codes of these lists. Test the changes: and reschedule another test every 6 months.
• Have a lawyer compose an NDA suitable for your jurisdiction, your business and your employment standards. Make sure all employees (not just people with access) read it, agree to it, and sign it. You may have compensation issues in some jurisdictions as this might be changing the terms of employment.

That is all.