Volume II

Issue : 3: February 5, 2004

• U.S. National Cable Association Proposes Limited VoIP Regulation
• The VoIP Regulatory Debate Intensifies in Canada - TRAI Amends its Quality of Service Regulations for VoIP Long Distance Service in India
• Minnesota Judge Refuses to Reserve VoIP Decision - Panama Introduces Tax on VoIP
• Lawsuit Launched Against Credit Card Companies over Piracy of Internet Pornography
• U.S. Telemarketers Required to Identify Themselves to Consumers by Caller ID
• Federal, British Columbia and Alberta Privacy Commissioners Agree to Cooperate
• FTC Releases Report on 2003 Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft Complaints
• B.C. Court Rules Forward Looking Infra-Red Technology Does Not Constitute a Search
• RIAA Targets Individuals on Anonymous Basis - Australia Music Industry Sues ISP
• France Gets Ready to Take Action against Internet Piracy
• Canadian Company to Offer High-speed Internet Access Via Hydro Lines
• U.S. Court of Appeals Finds Formation of On-line Contract Does Not Require "I Agree"
• Ontario Court Asserts Jurisdiction Over Washington Post Based on Online Publication

Home > Volume II > Issue 3: February 5, 2004 > U.S. Telemarketers Required to Identify Themselves to Consumers by Caller ID

U.S. Telemarketers Required to Identify Themselves to Consumers by Caller ID

The Federal Trade Commission in the U.S. has forced telemarketers to identify themselves by name and phone number to consumers using Caller ID as of January 29, 2004. Previously, telemarketing calls appeared as "out of area" on Caller ID. The change allows consumers to call the telemarketer and request removal from the telemarketer's call list.

The new requirement is connected with the establishment of the do-not-call registry, which took effect in October and contains 56.3 million phone numbers. Telemarketers must update their list of consumers who do not wish to be called every three months. Consumers will experience a time lag of at least three months from the time they signed up with the registry to the time when they can expect a decline in the volume of telemarketing calls. Telemarketers in areas that do not have Caller ID are not required to comply. Exemptions from the rules are provided for charities, pollsters and political campaigns. Fines of up to $11,000.00 are faced by telemarketers that call numbers on the registry.

While telemarketers support the Caller ID requirement, they oppose the do-not-call registry. They claim that 2 million jobs in the industry are at stake. Arguments were heard during November regarding their attempt to dismantle the registry by the Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, and a decision is expected to be released soon.

For a copy of the article, visit:
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/7818081.htm