Sep 5 will spell end to unsolicited phone calls

A National Do Not Call (NDNC) Registry, registration to which will eliminate unsolicited telmarketing phone calls, is likely to be set up by September 5, minister of state for communications and IT Shakeel Ahmad said today.

"The NDNC is likely to be put in place by September 5," he said replying to supplementaries during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha.

Cellphone users can register their numbers with the NDNC Registry if they do not want to receive telemarketing calls and SMS.

"Once registered with NDNC, the registration will be valid for 10 years," the Minister said.

He said telecom regulator TRAI has issued regulation on unsolicited commercial communications on June 5, 2007. NDNC Registry is being put in place to register requests of mobile subscribers who do not want to be disturbed by telemarketing calls.

"This registry does not discriminate between the poor and the rich. Any mobile subscriber can request his/her own service provider to get his number included in NDNC Registry. This facility is free of cost for subscribers," he said.

The minister said there is no proposal to evolve a Registry with a positive list of subscribers who welcome telemarketing calls.

"The scheme of NDNC Registry is applicable to unwanted telemarketing SMS messages also," he said