Re: ENUM and unsolicited messages

[Richard Shockey <]

At 01:16 PM 12/15/2003, Jim Reid wrote:

> >>>>> "Richard" == Richard Shockey richard@localhost writes:
>
>     Richard> More importantly the US has and I'm told the UK is
>     Richard> looking into strong "do not call" legislation that
>     Richard> prevents unsilicited "phone calls" the way the
>     Richard> legislation was written in the US is technology neutral
>     Richard> and as such should cover VoIP very well.
>
> This is all very well, but how can the law be enforced? I'm sure the
> cops will say they have better things to do with their time if/when
> someone complains. And what if the unsolicited VoIP call comes from
> overseas or the cyber-cafe down the road? Good luck identifying the
> caller let alone get them into court.
Impose stiff penalties and give the money to the enforcement folks or 
private right of actions..


> Perhaps I'm just been too cynical about this. UK regulations are
> supposed to prevent me from receiving unwanted phone calls and SMS
> messages. I've signed up for the telemarketer's opt-out lists. [It
> should of course be an opt-in list for those who *want* to get this
> crap, but let's have that debate another time.] Yet I still get
> unsolicited calls and SMS. When I complain to my telcos, they say it's
> nothing to do with them. And when I've complained to the regulator,
> they say it's not their problem either. They say it's not their fault
> some marketing companies don't use the opt-out lists and the regulator
> has no way of compelled those companies to use them.
That is a fault of the law in the UK not in the concept of DNC's .The DNC 
law here specifically prohibits masking identity etc and sets up very 
serious fines etc ..ATT for instance was fined $900K for violating the 
rules .  what everyone forgets is that some one on a unsolicited call is 
trying to sell you something .and that usually means they will have a US or 
a EU "nexus" which means the regulator or enforcement agency can trace the 
money path and potentially impose the appropriate penality . most call 
centers even now are outside the US but you can trace the activity.

The US Federal Trade Commission ,for instance,did its own study of its own 
SPAM and was able to successfully trace 80 of the spam to a US nexus...name 
address, bank account etc.

Its just the UK does not have good penalties or the will to enforce them 
unlike the US where it was so bad the political class got the message and 
for once acted appropriately.



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Richard Shockey, Senior Manager, Strategic Technology Initiatives
NeuStar Inc.
46000 Center Oak Plaza  -   Sterling, VA  20166
sip:rshockey(at)iptel.org   ENUM +87810-13313-31331
PSTN Office +1 571.434.5651 PSTN Mobile: +1 703.593.2683,  Fax: +1 815.333.1237
<mailto:richard(at)shockey.us> or <mailto:richard.shockey(at)neustar.biz>
<http://www.neustar.biz> ; <http://www.enum.org>
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