The Telephone Preference Service is groaning under the sheer volume of nuisance calls being made to UK consumers, according to a new effectiveness study, which shows nearly two-thirds (65%) of calls still getting through.
The study, carried out by Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office, found that registering with the TPS resulted in a 35% fall in the volume of all nuisance calls received per month.
However, the TPS-registrants still receive on average 2.5 nuisance calls per month, although critics claim this is much higher. The Government recently estimated that there are more than a billion nuisance sales calls a year.
ICO deputy chief executive Simon Entwisle said that while the research shows a decrease in the number of nuisance calls received by people registered with the TPS, it also shows that “too many people continue to receive them”.
He added: “Nuisance calls are just that – ‘a nuisance’ – and we believe that should be sufficient to let us consider a fine. The Government will be consulting on this change later in the year. In the meantime, we will continue to identify and punish those companies that are failing to respect the law and the wishes of those registered with the TPS.”
Meanwhile, the DMA has used the study to renew its call for the Government to hold its promised nuisance calls consultation, after last week’s demand that it be opened before the summer recess fell on deaf ears.
The industry and consumers will now have to wait until at least he autumn for the consultation first suggested by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in March of this year.
Mike Lordan, the DMA’s director of external affairs, said the report highlights the need for the Government to speed up its action.
He said: “TPS’ effectiveness in stopping live nuisance calls shows that the system works well to ensure that legitimate companies respect the contact preferences of consumers.
“However, TPS cannot stop nuisance calls made by rogue operators that flout the law. The ICO has the power to deal with wrongdoers, but legislation needs to change for them to flex their muscles.
“As the law currently stands, these wrongdoers are simply able to get away with breaking the rules with impunity. This means that without deterrence complaints from consumers will continue to rise, and the legitimate telemarketing and mobile marketing industries will continue to suffer.”
Related stories
DMA slams nuisance call delay
Nuisance call moans go unanswered
Nuisance calls law in place by Xmas
‘Nuisance’ DM firm faces £140k fine
DMA boots out serial nuisance caller
TPS plan to combat rogue callers
Industry victory over nuisance calls
3.2m ‘too afraid to answer phone’
Brits get a billion ‘nuisance calls’
Govt plots easier nuisance call fines
ICO tries again with £170,000 text fine
ICO: ‘We’re beating rogue callers’
MPs probe nuisance calls and texts
TV’s Call Centre boss gets £225k fine
People on TPS ‘get more cold calls’
Spam text war is tits up, who cares?
High Court shocker for text spam war
Brits get a billion nuisance calls
82% of public get nuisance calls
Telemarketing sector ‘in meltdown’
Comply with TPS or else, brands told
Are data enforcers up to the job?
ICO gunning for rogue phone firms
Most calls going undetected by Telephone Preference Service, says Ofcom http://t.co/1PiHZVuteO #directmarketing #telemarketing #advertising
RT @DM_editor: Most calls going undetected by Telephone Preference Service, says Ofcom http://t.co/1PiHZVuteO #directmarketing #telemarketi…