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News Release
June 30, 2000
CRTC LOOKS TO EXTEND
TELEMARKETING RULES THROUGHOUT CANADA
OTTAWA-HULL — Today, the Canadian
Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission issued a public notice seeking comments
on a proposal to extend the current telemarketing rules to all telecommunications service
providers in Canada.
The current rules for unsolicited communications using
automatic dialing and announcing devices (ADADs), live voice and facsimile solicitations
are only in effect in some of the telephone companies territories. The Commission proposes
to expand the rules to the remaining telephone companies, including the independent
telephone companies. As well, the Commission seeks comment on whether the rules should be
extended to cellular providers and long distance providers.
In establishing telemarketing rules that apply uniformly
throughout the country, the Commission and telecommunications service providers would be
better able to address complaints no matter where a customer lives or who their service
provider may be.
The current telemarketing rules are as follows:
ADADs
- are prohibited when used to solicit –
including calls placed on behalf of charities;
- can be used where there is no attempt to sell,
i.e. calls for emergency purposes, to collect overdue accounts, market or survey research
calls or calls to schedule appointments. Weekday calling hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 8
p.m., Saturdays are from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. These
restrictions do not apply to emergency situation announcements;
- should begin with identifying the person on
behalf of whom the call is made, including a mailing address and telephone number of a
free call-back line;
- are to display the originating calling number or
an alternate number where they can be reached (except where number display is unavailable
for technical reasons);
- sequential dialing is prohibited;
- the equipment is to disconnect within
20 seconds of the called party hanging up.
Live voice
- no calling hour restrictions;
- caller must identify the person or organization
they are representing;
- upon request, caller must provide the telephone
number, name and address of a responsible person the called party can write to;
- caller is required to display the originating
calling number, or an alternate number where they can be reached (except where number
display is unavailable due to technical reasons);
- sequential dialing is not permitted;
- caller must maintain a "DO NOT CALL"
list;
- names and numbers of called parties must be
removed within 30 days of the called parties’ request;
- telephone service to the lines used in placing
calls which contravene these rules may be suspended or terminated two business days after
notification from the telephone company.
Unsolicited facsimile calls used to solicit
calling hour restrictions – weekdays
9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; weekends 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (the permitted calling
hours are those of the called party);
- caller must identify the person or organization on
behalf of whom the fax call is made, including the telephone number, fax number and name
and address of a responsible person to whom the called party can write (this also applies
to organizations sending unsolicited fax calls on behalf of another organization);
- must display the originating calling number or an
alternate number where the call originator can be reached (except where number display is
unavailable for technical reasons);
- sequential dialing is not permitted;
- no fax calls permitted to emergency line or
healthcare facilities;
- names and numbers must be removed within
7 days of the called party’s request;
- the DO NOT CALL list is to remain active for
3 years;
- telephone service to the lines used in connection
with placing calls that contravene the rules may be suspended or terminated two business
days after notification from the telephone company.
Reference document: Public Notice CRTC 2000-91
- 30 -
General Inquiries:
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
Tel: (819) 997-0313, TDD: (819) 994-0423, Fax: (819) 994-0218
Toll-free # 1-877-249-CRTC (2782), eMail: info@crtc.gc.ca
Media Relations:
Denis Carmel, Tel: (819) 997-9403, eMail: denis.carmel@crtc.gc.ca
Copies of today’s documents are available through our
Internet site (http://www.crtc.gc.ca) or by contacting the public examination room of any
CRTC office. These documents are available in alternative format upon request.
| City |
Telephone |
TDD |
Fax |
Edmonton
Halifax
Montreal
Ottawa-Hull
Regina
Toronto
Vancouver
Winnipeg |
(780) 495-3224
(902) 426-7997
(514) 283-6607
(819) 997-2429
(306) 780-3422
(416) 952-9096
(604) 666-2111
(204) 983-6306 |
(819) 994-0423
(902) 426-6997
(514) 283-8316
(819) 994-0423
(819) 994-0423
(819) 994-0423
(604) 666-0778
(204) 983-8274 |
(819) 994-0218
(902) 426-2721
(514) 283-3689
(819) 994-0218
(819) 994-0218
(819) 994-0218
(604) 666-8322
(204) 983-6317 |
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