Do-not-call list accepts numbers again

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The federal agency in charge of the national "do-not-call" registry will reopen it today so consumers can add numbers to the list.

More than 52 million people have placed phone numbers on the do-not-call list, but the Federal Trade Commission shut down telephone and Internet registration after a circuit court judge said Sept. 29 that the agency could not share the list of phone numbers with the Federal Communications Commission or distribute it to telemarketers.

But a ruling Tuesday by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver allows the FTC to enforce the popular do-not-call list while it appeals a district court ruling that the registry is unconstitutional because it violates the free-speech rights of commercial telemarketers.

"With the 10th Circuit's decision of last night, we can proceed on all cylinders," FTC Commissioner Timothy Muris said yesterday.

Consumers can add their phone numbers to the list by logging onto the FTC's www.donotcall.gov Web site or calling 888/382-1222.

Telemarketers will have access to the list beginning tomorrow.

About 6,000 telemarketers have purchased the full or partial list of phone numbers they are prohibited from calling. About 13,000 telemarketers have indicated they want the registry.

Telemarketers who already have the do-not-call registry are prohibited from dialing the listed phone numbers. Those who purchase it tomorrow must stop calling numbers on it by Oct. 17, Mr. Muris said.

The FTC will begin a new consumer-complaint process Saturday at 6 p.m. Mr. Muris said consumers who call to complain should provide the phone number that was called, the name of the company that phoned them, the number the telemarketer called from and the date the telemarketer called.