Relief from pesky telemarketing calls is at hand.

Stuart Corner
Monday, 26 March 2007 12:43

IT Policy - Regulation

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has set a national industry standard that limits the activities of organisations making unsolicited telemarketing and research calls.

A key requirement of the standard is that telemarketing calls cannot be made after 8.00pm on weekdays and research calls not after 8.30pm on weekdays. No calls covered by the standard will be permitted before 9.00am on any day, after 5.00pm on Saturdays or at any time on Sundays or national public holidays.

The standard applies to all telemarketing calls made to an Australian number that offer, advertise or promote goods, services, interests in land, business opportunities or investments, or to solicit donations; all research calls to conduct opinion polling and to carry out standard questionnaire-based research.

It also covers calls made by organisations exempt from the general prohibition on calling numbers listed on the Do Not Call Register,  such as charities, registered political parties, and religious organisations.

The standard also states that certain caller contact information must be provided by the person making a telemarketing or research call as well as detailing the source from which the caller obtained the telephone number and the name of person for whom the call was intended. It also requires the caller to terminate the call where the call recipient asks for the call to be terminated or otherwise indicates that he or she does not want the call to continue.

Telemarketing calls also required to have calling line identification enabled so that people can see the number from which the call is being made.

The standard will come into effect at the same time as Part 2 of the Do Not Call Register Act 2006, expected to commence on 31 May 2007 when the Do Not Call Register is due to begin operating. Copies of the standard are available on the ACMA website at: www.acma.gov.au/donotcall