ACMA blames telcos with offshore call centres for register breaches
Media regulator ACMA has started naming names in its crackdown on companies that fail to obey the Do Not Call Reigster – and it says that telcos using offshore call centres are the biggest transgressors.
Chris Chapman, chairman of the Australian Communications and Media Authority, said that more than 55% of complaints received on the subject relate to unwanted calls pushing phone plans and related services.
He said: ” Consumers register their telephone numbers because they want to reduce the number of telemarketing calls they receive and it is unacceptable to see that some telcos are not respecting that decision.”
ACMA has carried out a round of investigsations into Australian telcos’ marketing tactics. It said that in the year it has issued four infringement notices on telcos including a $147,400 penalty for Dodo Australia on October. It has accepted enforceable undertakings – which would see the companies punished if they breach them – from Dodo, Astron Communications and People Telecom. And it has issued formal warnings to Global Telelinks, Ezycall and m8 Telecom.
Chapman said that one factor in the problem was the use of offshore call centres. He called on Australia’s major telcos to make sure that their business partners were staying in line. He said: “When reselling arrangements exist, we are looking for companies at the top end of the marketing chain to take a lead role.”
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