Those annoying telemarketing calls are almost a thing of the past! Canada has adopted a Do Not Call registry so that you can tell those companies that you don’t appreciate recieving random calls everyday!
The main registry
You can add your number to the registry at the Canadian Government National Do Not Call List website. It only takes a minute or so, but it will take up to 31 days for it to take effect.
The exceptions
It has some important exceptions though. First, any company you have done business with in the past 18 months are allowed to contact you. There’s not a lot you can do about those.
The other major exceptions are that Canadian Registered Charities, political parties, or candidates are still allowed to solicit donations, and Newspapers may call you to sell a subscription. (I get the charity angle, but why the exemption for newspapers?)
Michael Geist has found the solution here though. These organizations do not have to honour the national registry, but they do have to remove your name if you specifically ask them to do so. He’s created iOptOut which allows you to put your name in once, and mass mail all of the major organizations that are exempt from the national list in one go!
Combine these two sites, and you should be annoyance free!
My number is on the do not call ans I still get calls…
// Ace
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Hi Ace,
Keep in mind there is a 31 day grace period from the time you sign up. Since the Do Not Call list only went online on Sept. 30, that 31 days hasn’t expired yet for anyone. It’s 31 days from the time you sign up.
Joe
Hi Joe, great article on the NDNC list. I haven’t put our home phone on it yet cause we just don’t answer that one, but lately the 1-800 calls have been spiking so I think it’s time to get me set up.
Now if I only knew of a “great free website for blog service” ;-P