What kind of money- hungry ethics is this?

According to David Lazarus' column in a recent L.A.Times edition, both Verison and ATT have placed no residential land line phone numbers in their new phone books.

Yet the companies continue to charge up to $2.50 per month for not listing your phone number in a non-existent phone book!

To be sure, many customers desire that their phone be unlisted to protect their privacy. However, that is assured for all customers with the new editions of  their phone books.

Yet, one of the companies' spokepersons declared that " It will help support the ongoing costs associated with the service." Ths, of course, says nothing about the service charge for a non existent service!