After years of campaigning, the public succeeded in getting legislation passed to protect it from telemarketers. Despite legal challenges, the Do Not Call Implementation Act came into effect in February of 2004. The Do Not Call Registry is a joint effort by the FCC and the FTC that limits the number of direct sales calls that consumers receive. It is a free service, and registration of personal numbers eliminates all unsolicited calls except those from political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors, and businesses with whom one already has a relationship.
Individuals can register up to three personal numbers at a time. Many people are anxious to register their cell phones, particularly in light of an erroneous e-mail that was widely circulated on the internet. Many people were alarmed and confused by this email, which falsely indicated that telemarketing calls to cell phones were imminent. It also stated there was a separate registry for cell phones, and a deadline for registration. There are several important facts to remember. First of all, your cell phone number will not be released to telemarketers, and direct sales call will not be flooding your cell phone. Telemarketing associations have made it clear that they do not intend to call cell phones. Furthermore, although automatic dialers are standard in the industry, it is illegal for telemarketers to use them to call cell phones. If you remain concerned, then you simply register your cell phone number when you register your landline. You are able to register three numbers at time, which is sufficient for most individuals. The process for cell phone registration is the same as for landline registration: you must call from the number you are registering, or if you register online, then you must respond to an email confirmation. If you register by phone, you will not receive confirmation. However, you may call the registry at 1-888-382-1222 to confirm that your registration was completed. The website is www.donotcall.gov.
The confusion regarding cell phone registration is unfortunate and inconvenient for many people. The Do Not Call Registry is an unexpectedly simple service that is straightforward to use and effective. Consumers need only to call from the number(s) they wish to register, or register online, in order to dramatically reduce the number of telemarketing calls they receive. With greater public awareness, more and more registrations can be completed quickly and efficiently, and unnecessary worry about cell phone registration can be entirely eliminated.
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