USA - Do Not Call

Nation's State Utility Consumer Advocates Call for Making Do-Not-Call Registry Permanent

State advocates for telephone consumers have called for the national Do-Not-Call registry to be a permanent list. The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) will file its recommendation today at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). NASUCA also recommended that the FCC give permanent status to customers' direct requests to companies not to be called.

"The federal government should reduce the burden on residential consumers and make permanent their requests not to be called," said Charles Acquard, NASUCA's executive director. "In addition, many consumers may be unaware of when they told a specific company to stop calling. We recommend that those requests be honored unless the consumer directs the company otherwise."

In addition, many consumers may be unaware of when they told a specific company to stop calling. We recommend that those requests be honored unless the consumer directs the company otherwise.

The national registry went into effect in June 2003. Currently, consumers' registrations on the national Do-Not-Call list automatically expire after five years, which means they would need to re-register as soon as this summer. The idea of a permanent list has been the subject of Congressional and regulatory review, with the Federal Trade Commission saying it will not purge any telephone numbers until the issue is resolved.