Do Not Call List Inching Closer to Permanence

Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:08PM EDT

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Last month I reported about a legislative action involving making permanent the Do Not Call list, which millions signed up for during its 2003 launch... and which are now set to expire in 2008. The good news just got a bit better: The Bill introduced in September to make the Do Not Call registry a permanent registry has passed both House and Senate committee sessions, which would eliminate the five-year expiry after which registered numbers are dropped from the list.

The lone governmental holdout against making Do Not Call entries permanent has been the FTC, which has previously said that expiration dates were needed to account for people who change phone numbers or move. However, critics of that policy have rightly argued that disconnected and reassigned numbers are automatically purged from the list once a month. The "permanent" DNC list would up that pace to twice a month.

Even more good news: While the bill is working its way through Congress, the FTC has reversed itself by announcing that it will not purge expiring registrations until the matter is sorted out in Congress (and hopefully signed by the President). So, no need to rush out and re-register your phone numbers on the list now. With any luck you'll never have to register them again.

Still need to register? Visit donotcall.gov to get on the list.  

LINK: Bill Makes Do Not Call Listings Forever 

Comments on Do Not Call List Inching Closer to Permanence

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  • 47 Posted by billiusmaxx@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    Either the FTC was not aware of the monthly purge or the telemarketers have lined the FTC's pockets with money to trash the system. Our government and its agencies have become more shameful in its growing lack of integrity.

  • 48 Posted by gawker35 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:06PM EDT Report Abuse

    they need to get rid of the instant messanger girl's.that would be a great start.as for the shutting down of the phone.2 parent's with lung problem's,sugar,etc.your dreaming.

  • 49 Posted by lonehawk241 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    intermountain, Your calls affect my home,my way of life and my quality of life.

  • 50 Posted by pgaskell1@prodigy.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is the best news ever. Now if we could only add politicians & charities to the list.

  • 52 Posted by wwasion@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:51PM EDT Report Abuse

    To: robertbarr2@sbcglobal.net, who says that his right to privacy trumps the telemarketer's right to free speech. Unfortunately, while I do sympathize and agree with your disdain for telemarketers, that statement is misinformed. While the Constitution does guarantee the right of free speech, the right of privacy is nowhere stipulated in the Constitution. While the ninth amendment has been used by the Supreme Court to justify some controversial rulings in that regard, there is no so-called "right to privacy" mentioned in the Constitution. Therefore, free speech would trump the right to privacy.

  • 53 Posted by basilisk_zero@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    To anyone who says "get a real job". like it's the easiest thing in the world, not everyone lives in areas with a lot of jobs. Teenagers like myself are fairly limited on job options as well, fyi. As someone who works in a similar job, surveying, I have to say stop throwing temper tantrums like a 5-year-old who's told to clean his room. You had to spend a whole 10 seconds saying "no thanks"? Oh boohoo, cry me a river! Then go say "directive analytics" 80 times an hour for 4 hours, then you may complain about how telemarketing isn't a job.

  • 55 Posted by foodiesemporium@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:01PM EDT Report Abuse

    Telemarketing a home is just plain stupid. If you are calling for money or to sell something, how many people do you expect to reach in the daytime that actually have a job and further, any cash to pay for the unneeded products??? Most are probably sitting on the couch, cracking open a 40 and wondering why their welfare checks weren't in the mail that day.

  • 57 Posted by intermountain@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:24PM EDT Report Abuse

    Simply "Do Not Call" try "Do not answer." screening calls works. As for those of you who were treated rudely...I apologize. As for the one who told me to "Drop Dead" That was rude in and of itself. Shortmindedness is never a good thing. When I call I always ask. Are you busy or do you have a minute or two to talk? I always follow the Do Not Call list rules and laws. I am a person who respects the lives of others I just wish that others would respect me and put themselves in my shoes for the ten seconds it takes to say no and hang up the phone.

  • 58 Posted by alanorlando on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    To bad the law does mot apply to telemarketers working out of INDIA. Or those that know how to block their actual telephone number from showing up( any one with a little IT experience can have a ficticious telephone number show up on caller I.D.). This Law sounded good in the beging but is nothing but a farce!!!

  • 59 Posted by louleuzzi@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    this is great. these people are totally out of control. including the public service annoucements. just becuase ther is a local, state or federal election, they should comply as well.

  • 60 Posted by ollywally@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:44PM EDT Report Abuse

    I put my name on that list and I still get calls from the strangest places, people soliciting home repairs. The company I make my car payments to. Companies checking to see if my customer service was satisfactory....Trust me if it wasn't they would be the first to hear from me. I think they waste money doing these surveys via the phone. Politicians, where do I sign up!

  • 61 Posted by royphil345 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree with you guys that charities should be included. I also get way too many sales calls from banks, credit cards, etc... I do business with. I think people should have a choice to not accept phone solicitation from any or all of these catagories. Phone soliciting has become overused and it's an almost daily annoyance. I don't pay my phone bill to be endlessly harrased.

  • 62 Posted by aracelivmartinez@att.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    To intermountain, you're not a robot are you? No, so that means you can learn other skills right? The DNC list doesn't prevent you from feeding your family, it prevents you from calling us about things we don't want or didn't ask for. Secondly, I'm sure you could find work in the CUSTOMER SERVICE sector where lots of us wouldn't have to wait so long to get an answer or help. You wouldn't have to get a door to door sales job either. We shouldn't have to turn off our phones just to not deal with you. What about emergencies? If those people in So. California had turned off their phones to avoid telemarketers, lots more would be dead because 911 called them to evacuate their homes to escape the fires. Lastly, this isn't a free speech issue!

  • 64 Posted by joanne248@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree with skshaddix. Now if they could just include your cell phone. I get calls on my cell phone and it uses up my minutes. Very irritating.

  • 65 Posted by rev.chuck@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:37PM EDT Report Abuse

    It's about time. I am getting 10 telemarketing calls daily and they call back three and four times!!!!!!!!

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