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07/29/2003 Archived Entry: "Telemarketers sue over do-not-call list"

THIS IS WHY I ONLY OWN A CELL PHONE: Telemarketers are suing the American government over it's wildly popular "Do Not Call" list, already containing 28 million phone numbers, because they say it will devastate their business and cost up to 2 million jobs.

The American Teleservices Association, an industry group that sued the FTC in January to stop the list, asked the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver to reject new regulations set by the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC added its authority to the list to close regulatory loopholes and block calls from certain industries, including airlines, banks and telephone companies.

"This truly is a case of regulatory overkill," said Tim Searcy, ATA executive director.

I agree that I don't care much for a government to be running this sort of service but at the same time my compassion for the telemarketing industry is non-existent. Their industry depends on using a service that I pay for, my telephone line, and is done at a time, dinner, that will ensure that I'm interrupted. While I feel poorly for all those that could lose their jobs I doubt a majority of Americans will miss being called about long-distance plans or deals on carpet cleanings. People in the industry don't seem to understand that I don't want to be bothered...if it takes them loosing their jobs to understand that, so be it.

Read on.

Replies: 2 comments

Even cell phones aren't safe. This afternoon I got a telemarketing recording on mine.

Posted by chuck @ 07/29/2003 03:58 PM EST

Fortunately that hasn't happened to me. I think up here in Canada telemarketers aren't allowed to call unlisted numbers without some prior relationship. Needless to say I never give out my cell number.

Posted by Steve Martinovich @ 07/29/2003 08:08 PM EST