New Delhi: Relief in Sight for People Feeling Harassed and Hounded by Telemarketers


New Delhi: Relief in Sight for People Feeling Harassed and Hounded by Telemarketers

Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi (SP)

New Delhi, Aug 6: Feeling annoyed, hounded and helpless at the innumerable telemarketing calls that are enough to set allergic reaction into motion the moment your phone starts ringing? Tired of reading through innumerable messages that fill your mobile phone’s inbox? Till now, the consumers were left feeling agitated over their helplessness to do anything other than cutting the call midway or deleting the messages received. They can expect to get help soon to handle this problem, because of a small incident.

The ancient saying, ‘only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches,’ appeared to come true for the umpteenth time, when an opposition leader who was participating in a meeting with the union finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, received a phone call from a telemarketing company, offering home loans to him. This call infuriated the finance minister. In effect, the caller inadvertently set into motion a series of moves that may finally be able to throttle the untimely, unwarranted calls by those who seem to feel that improving their earnings is much more important than honouring the privacy and convenience of the individuals. Within a short time thereafter, minister for information and broadcasting, Ambika Soni, too received an unsolicited telemarketing SMS.

Reportedly, the finance minister was involved in a serious discussion with colleagues, political leaders, and officials on ways and means to break the deadlock in the parliament over the issue of price rise, when the irritating call came. Telecom minister, taken aback by the report, directed the officials of his department to take steps against the companies which encroach into the privacy of the people, and cause undue annoyance to them. The efforts of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which has been fighting a loosing battle with the telemarketing companies on this issue, is likely to get a shot in the arm with the initiatives undertaken by the minister. It may be noted that the TRAI’s efforts to regulate such calls through creation of ‘do not call registry’ have not succeeded in limiting such calls.

The minister has asked the telecom secretary, P J Thomas, to call for a meeting to consider prohibiting such calls. The ministry is likely to convene a meeting of all the service providers to provide relief to the telephone users of the country from obnoxious calls which aim to sell them anything from insurance policies to memberships of clubs. In his note sent to the secretary, the minister is understood to have specifically remarked that the calls being made at all times of the day, are intruding into the private lives of the telecom consumers. The telephone users, who have been harassed by unending talks by such callers at odd times,  now hope that the telecom minister will succeed in his efforts.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Erel, London

    Sat, Aug 07 2010

    This is one of the biggest problem for the comman people. Recieving calls during busy as well as odd time. Their nuisance SMS and telphone calls makes it difficult to trace the other important calls. Henceforth their promting companies should be sued in the court and penalised. Govt should take very strict action againt them for worsening common man's life in tension.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Alok V. Saldanha, Kankanady/Mangalore

    Fri, Aug 06 2010

    SEND 'ACT DND' OR 'START DND' To 1909 Toll-Free for all Leading Mobile Operators.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Sunil, Mangalore

    Fri, Aug 06 2010

    Dear All, If you get these calls or SMS simply activate your phone to DND mode. Your service provider customer service will guide you. It takes less than 3 minutes of your time to register. But it takes some days for your number to be on DND list. Even after this you get any call or SMS you can claim compensation.I have 2 mobile one is DND & the other is not yet been activated on DND mode. But I don't get any SMS on my DND number. Hope this info will hepl you all.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • GK, Man

    Fri, Aug 06 2010

    For folks who are not aware of how to block/reduce such unsolicited calls/sms', they can register their number here

    http://ndncregistry.gov.in/ndncregistry/index.jsp

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • A.S.Mathew, U.S.A.

    Fri, Aug 06 2010

    This menace is quite frustrating. Calls are coming from India at odd times with sir..sir..appeals to market their products mainly overseas calls. Out of sympathy, I did some mistake and lost a few dollars. When I tried to contact them, even the company was not in existence. Simply hang up, and warn them sternly, not to call one more time.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Bulsam, Mangalore

    Fri, Aug 06 2010

    This is one of the biggest headaches. Recieving calls during busy as well as odd hours. Their nuisance SMS makes it difficult to trace the other messages. Henceforth their production companies should be punished and penalised.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Joseph, Doha, Qatar

    Fri, Aug 06 2010

    Even if you happen to answer their call, your credit balance is automatically deducted and unless you force yourselves on their call centers they are not ready to budge in reimbursing the lost credit back to you. Happy that atleast Pranab and Ambika had a taste of such calls.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Allwyn D'Souza, Udyavara, Tunisia

    Fri, Aug 06 2010

    Good move, hope we succeed.
    Although feel sad that the ministers had to go thru the ordeal to understand woes of the common telecom users. Imagine the harassment we people have to go thru everyday while driving, important meetings, private time with the families or loved ones. These telemarketing companies have been disturbing our lives for a while now and it is high time that an action is taken. Imagine that you are driving and the phone rings, you loose concentration, big potential for an accident.You are in the middle of an important meeting and the phone rings with someone trying to sell a product, disturbing the complete flow of the meeting and wasting the time of your colleagues as well.


    Sometimes you are tired from work and resting, and there goes the phone. Imagine the condition and what it can do to your health in terms of stress or blood pressure.

    I request maximum participation from all telecom users to write on this issue and gather support, so that we can lead our normal lives again.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • James Dain, Padubidri

    Fri, Aug 06 2010

    Even the mobile phone service providers indulge in calling customers at odd hours sending pre-recorded messages promoting their products such as 'Hello tunes' etc. They also go one step further by activating such services without custermer's permission and deducting money from their account. This has to be stopped.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


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Title: New Delhi: Relief in Sight for People Feeling Harassed and Hounded by Telemarketers



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