ACMA reports a drop in fax marketing complaints
The Australian Communications and Media Authority is claiming its fax marketing complaints have dropped by 40 per cent since its do not call register began to include faxes.
The announcement:
Fax marketing complaints have dropped almost 40 per cent since the Do Not Call Register was expanded to include marketing faxes, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
The Do Not Call Register Act 2006 was amended in May 2010 to allow fax numbers to be registered, as well as government and emergency service numbers.
The changes mean people can now ‘opt out’ of receiving marketing faxes.
ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman has applauded the fax marketing industry for its adoption of the new rules.
‘We’ve been impressed with the fax marketing industry’s response,’ Mr Chapman said. ‘Industry members have seen this as an opportunity to better target their communications and have actively worked with the ACMA to implement these new rules.’
Between June and August this year, the ACMA received 536 complaints about unwanted marketing faxes.
During the September to November period, which followed the ACMA’s three-month fax marketing education campaign, complaints about fax marketers dropped to 346.
‘The ACMA has worked extensively with the fax marketing industry to make it as easy as possible to comply with the legislation and the drop in complaints shows we have been successful,’ Mr Chapman said.
‘The ACMA looks forward to working with this industry to continue reducing complaints and learn more about how best to address compliance in the long term.’
The ACMA is currently drafting a fax industry standard, which is a set of rules fax marketers must comply with. The new standard is anticipated to come into effect in early 2011.
Australians can register their mobile, home, or fax numbers by logging on to www.donotcall.gov.au or phoning 1300 792 958.
Source: ACMA press release
