More Than 370,000 Join National Do-Not-Call List
Some Unable To Access Web Site Friday
Posted: 7:54 a.m. EDT June 27, 2003
Updated: 7:31 p.m. EDT June 27, 2003
WASHINGTON -- Officials say the response to the new national "do not call" list was overwhelming Friday morning, but insisted the system can handle it.
In the first 12 hours, 370,000 phone numbers were added to the list.
The new registration system is designed to help Americans block unwanted sales calls.
Federal Trade Commission Chairman Timothy Muris said that in the first few hours, an average of 108 people registered every second. But he insisted the system won't be overloaded, and Americans won't have any problems in registering either online or over the telephone.
However, some people were having trouble getting DoNotCall.gov to load Friday. The FTC said the site has been responding slowly because of the high amount of traffic.
After a lot of debate, planning and coordination between federal agencies, registration for the list for blocking most telemarketing calls opened at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time Friday. The FTC will begin enforcing the new rules in October.
Federal Commications Commission Chairman Michael Powell said that with one click or one call, people can stop unwanted calls to their homes from all over the nation. He called it "an extraordinarily empowering consumer device."
Powell said he expects a big response.
Some calls will still get through to those on the list if they've done business with companies over the last 1½ years or contacted them in the past three months. Charities, surveys and calls on behalf of politicians also are exempt.
The phone number for registration is (888) 382-1222 -- but only in states west of the Mississippi. For states east of the Mississippi, the toll-free phone line registry starts July 7.
Consumers on the list can give written permission to receive calls from certain firms.
President George W. Bush called unwelcome telephone sales calls annoying, obtrusive and all too common.
He said the new national do-not-call list will help protect the privacy of American families.
Spokesman Ari Fleischer said the president believes there's a fundamental issue of privacy involved. He said Bush is concerned about people being in their homes at night and being bothered by telephone sales calls they don't want.
Beginning in September, telemarketers will have to check the list every three months to see who doesn't want to be called. Firms could be fined up to $11,000 per violation.
Muris said people who have registered with do-not-call programs in their states may have to reregister with the national program.
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