Telephone Preference Service

The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a UK opt-out telephone list that is intended to prevent telemarketing calls to those who do not wish to receive them. The list is administered on behalf of Ofcom by the British direct marketing industry, who also run the Mailing Preference Service and Fax Preference Service. In November 2005, the BBC reported that there were 10.5 million numbers registered.

As at the 28 December 14.8 million numbers are registered.

Not to be confused with the Government Telephone Preference Scheme which refers exclusively to the system used by the General Post Office since 1952 and later BT to keep selected telephones operating during wartime when access to the telephone system by the general public would be denied. Phones on the scheme include armed forces headquarters, local authority emergency planning centres, emergency services such as police, fire and ambulance and public telephone boxes. Since 1992 the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation and Royal Observer Corps operational lines have been deleted from the scheme.

History

Residential users have been able to register on the list since May 1999 under the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 1999. The list has statutory force under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. From 25 June 2004 corporate subscribers were also allowed to register on the list under Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2004

Exemptions

The TPS only applies to cold calling: companies can still contact their own customers regardless of TPS to offer new products and services so long as the customer has not opted out from this with the individual company. Genuine market research is also allowed and calls from overseas made by overseas companies on their own account cannot be controlled by registering with the TPS. Individuals and businesses may opt-out on a case be case basis by objecting to these types of organisations directly.

Enforcement

Once a number is registered it may take up to twenty-eight days to become fully effective. After this time, it is unlawful for telemarketers to call a number on the list. The TPS have no enforcement power, so all complaints are passed on to the Information Commissioner's Office (UK). The maximum penalty is currently £5,000. However, there have been no prosecutions undertaken as the legislation does not allow for prosecution.

See also

* Robinson list
* Canadian Do Not Call List
* New Zealand Name Removal Service
* United States National Do Not Call Registry

External links

* [http://www.tpsonline.org.uk Official website]
* [http://www.optoutuk.co.uk Opt-Out UK]
* [http://www.ico.gov.uk Information Commissioner's Office]
* [http://www.ofcom.org.uk Ofcom]