Verizon Wireless said on Thursday it reversed an earlier refusal to allow an abortion-rights advocacy group to set up a text-message alert system with subscribers and changed its policy on such messaging.
Verizon Wireless had denied a request from NARAL Pro-Choice America to set up text-message alerts for subscribers who sign up for notices with a number known as a short code.
The decision was based on what the company described as an "outdated" policy that aimed to protect subscribers from unwanted messages.
"The decision not to allow text messaging on an important, though sensitive, public policy issue was incorrect, and we have fixed the process that led to this isolated incident," said Verizon Wireless spokesman Jeffrey Nelson in a statement.
Nelson said the company was already permitting messages from NARAL. Verizon is a venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group.
