| Comment Number: | OL-102004 |
| Received: | 11/27/2004 8:20:18 PM |
| Organization: | |
| Commenter: | Keith Hoffman |
| State: | CO |
| Subject: | Trade Regulation Rule on Telemarketing Sales |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 310 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
I recently read a story in the Chicago Sun-Times discussing your INSANE proposal to open the DO-NOT-CALL list. I signed up for do not call because I NEVER WANT TO RECEIVE A PHONE CALL FROM ANY BUSINESS, even one that I have a 'business relationship' with. If a company has an offering for me, they can send a message to the email address I provide if I opted-in for that relationship. If they don't have my email address, they don't have a legitimate business relationship with me. I'm certain that the term 'business relationship' will be abused and that the ever-present 'affliate' relationship will be even more abused. I pay for my phone, not these marketing companies. They have no right to call me. I am also certain that whatever opt-out you provide will be wholly inadequate. The only opt-out I would find inadequate is if there was a regulatory or statutory requirement that the pre-recorded message be no longer than 30 seconds and be followed by a message that provided an instant one key opt-out that could be completed within 60 seconds of the beginning of the call. That is, at 30 seconds, the message would say, please press 1 to opt-out of ALL calls from this business and its affliates forever! Further, you would need to require that the number be removed INSTANTLY, not in 3-6 months. These slimy businesses use a computer to generate the calls, why should they be allowed to require paper and pen or phone opt-outs that take weeks or months to execute. But I'll say again: opt-out is not a option. Keep the do not call list a do not call list! I am also EXTREMELY angry that Allen Hile, a taxpayer funded bureaucrat, is trying to degrade one of the fewer federal protections granted to consumers in the recent past. Shame on you Allen Hile! Who do you work for? Me, the person who fractionally pays your salary, or the telemarketers? Sincerely, Keith Hoffman