FTC Vows Not To Expire Numbers From The Do Not Call List

I think that this would be a good idea. I receive numerous calls weekly and usually, after informing the caller that I am on the do not call list, the majority of the callers get the idea.Those that don't get the message I have serious concerns that they do not understand the English language. What would be even better is if the FTC would make penalities stiffer for calling people who are on the do not call list as well as making the list permanent as well as including business numbers on the do not call list.

My husband kept getting calls from a collection agency for someone we had never heard of. They kept calling, in spite of my very firm instructions never to call again, as they were calling a wrong number. So I took care of it: I went online to the FCC and filed a complaint. When they called again, we let them know we had done so---and they never called again. It is really very, very easy to file an online complaint with the FCC. I suggest that everyone do just the same thing when getting calls from telemarketers who do not understand what "don't call me" means.

The do not call list is fine for stoping reputable telemarketers from calling. However I get 10 to 15 calls per day that have the number blocked. My phone says "unknown caller" and I let the answering machine pick it up. They usually hang up as soon as the machine answers but it is still annoying because I have to delete them all. I have talked to my local phone company and they say there is nothing they can do to stop them at this time. I for one would like to see it be illegal for telemarketers to call from a blocked number so you can't report them but it is unlikely to happen since they have a powerful lobby in congress and give millions to our senators and representatives. It's like any other big business, grease the right palms and you don't have to play by the rules.

This is getting too much: distracting, annoying, even disturbing and all unwanted calls. No matter how "insignificant" this issue might sound to some or how some others deliberately paint this issue as such, this is NOT a problem of annoyance only.

Ability to place unidentifiable calls, for instance, is used widely not only by "innocent" marketers, but for criminal purposes, which makes the little benefit of it actually unimportant, and which has to give the Government legitimate grounds for taking appropriate centralized measures to protect individual and public safety. Existing laws has to be corrected and/or new law(s) have to be introduced for this matter, equal to individuals, companies and organizations, with possible rare exceptions for law enforcement and government only and only under special circumstances.

Here are some ideas:

- ALL calls have to be identifiable. Caller ID and Name (Company Name) have to be displayed (real, legally obtained, listed, and that could be tracked back). Calls from public phones/booths have to display appropriate IDs/numbers.

- Technology has to adapt to satisfy mandatory identification. (E.g.: existing devices that currently enable ID suppression have to be rendered unable to place calls without positive identification; an attempt to use such device and/or method has to be tracked and recorded at a service provider level; etc.)

- Any attempt to fake an ID/Name, use someone else’s ID/Name, illegally obtain and use right to hide Caller ID and Name has to be deemed as a punishable offense.

If a person, company or organization is legal and honest there should be no reason to hide their identity. By keeping themselves “private” they are actually violating other’s peace and privacy. (E.g., one can not drive a car without a valid license plate, or enter a plane without a valid passport/ID, etc. Calling without a Caller ID/Name has to be viewed as knocking someone’s door with a full face cover mask and costume on.)

Regards,

NKS

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is open for public comment on the FCC website http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/Upload/ . Details described in http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-02-250A1.pdf or http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-02-250A1.txt . The txt version came out garbled on my IE7 but the pdf worked fine. I could not find the comment window closing date on the FCC website. If anyone finds it, please post and thanks. Please spread the word.