In September 2007, Verizon Wireless rejected NARAL Pro-Choice America's application for a text-messaging short code. That meant Verizon customers (about 25-percent of the cell-phone market) wouldn't have been able to access information about our activities through their cell phones. The corporate giant went one step further by referring to our work as "controversial" and "unsavory."

We deployed a comprehensive communications and member-mobilization plan to call on Verizon Wireless to reverse its decision.

On September 27, the New York Times ran a front-page story on Verizon's actions. We launched an activist alert that channeled 20,000 messages from our supporters to Verizon in less than two hours.

As media reports of Verizon's actions gained more attention, we saw a 62-percent jump in text-messaging subscribers, a 213-percent increase in web-site traffic, and nearly 200 anti-Verizon policy blog posts on The Huffington Post and other sites.

Our plan worked. The corporation reversed its decision less than 24 hours after the first story was published.

Our text-messaging program continues to grow, with nearly 10,000 subscribers so far. You can join Txt4Choice here.