| Comment Number: | OL-113616 |
| Received: | 1/10/2005 1:06:27 PM |
| Organization: | |
| Commenter: | D. Medina |
| State: | MD |
| 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 am given to understand that the Federal Trade Commission is currently reviewing an application to allow companies to use pre-recorded messages for telemarketing. As I understand it, the FTC and the Federal Communications Commission, oversee the no-call list. While both groups agree that businesses should be able to call current customers (regardless of no-call list status), they disagree on how that can be done. The FCC allows pre-recorded calls. The FTC limits pre-recorded messages to 3 percent of a company's total telemarketing calls. When the FCC had the opportunity to bring its rules into line with the more restrictive FTC last year, it declined. Please, if we sign up for a do-not call list it is because we don't want to be bothered at inopportune moments. I certainly don't want to be flooded with a barrage of automated calls. Just like the regulations currently in place, the new rules would require companies to give customers a way to opt-out of future calls. Unlike a centralized list, customers have to contact each company individually, and the onus is on the company to comply. That is truly burdensome - the reason I don't want to be bothered with nuisance calls is because I value what little free time I have at the end of the work day - I certainly don't want to have to spend that time calling number after number trying to get each company to individually leave me alone. Please - consider carefully what is to be done - else your actions will in many ways eviscerate the law with respect to the legislative intent. Thank you. D. Medina