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Nuisance Calls - Action

28/10/2013

As the Culture Media and Sport Committee concludes its inquiry into Nuisance Calls and Texts, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Nuisance Calls completes its parallel inquiry and DCMS prepares to make a further statement on the topic, we offer a further summary submission.

This highlights the key points we have to make on the subject:

The regulatory interventions of Ofcom and the ICO are seen to have failed to address the issue and must continue to do so.

Intervention by properly engaged industry regulators must be seen as the means of addressing the problem.

A single agency, to represent the interests of citizens and consumers in this matter, must be established using existing resources and without the need for further legislation.

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Ofcom agrees - 'Fixed means Fixed'

27/10/2013

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Earlier in the year we joined in a joint response to an Ofcom consultation on “Price rises in fixed term contracts”.
We have welcomed the outcome with a news release …

… and contributed to TV news coverage of the story.

Click on image to view consultation response

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A new approach is needed to tackle nuisance calls

20/10/2013

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A news release has been issued to draw attention to a story in the Sunday Post - with an additional story and comment, and an article from the Kirkintilloch Herald.
Some of our commentary follows.

We do not oppose the efforts of those who wish to make the present methods of dealing with the problem a little more effective, but they cannot pretend that this will have a serious impact on what is seen to be a lucrative industry, albeit fundamentally illegal.
Even with the removal of some of the limitations on the powers of the ICO, it will still be unable to put an offender out of business. Direct regulators, such as the Claims Management Regulator in the case of PPI and accident claims, and the FCA in the case of so-called “payday loans” companies, have much stronger and more effective powers over sales and marketing activity by those they regulate and their offshore agents. The first action by the Claims Management Regulator on investigating a valid complaint is to suspend the operator's licence! This is the complete opposite of what the ICO may do.
It is however vital that evidence of nuisance is easily presented and effectively used. With an extensive network of regulators and a wide variety of powers, we see it as essential that a single public-facing agency is established to consolidate the existing dispersed resources. This agency could truly represent the interests of citizens and consumers, by pressing each regulator to apply their specific powers to the maximum, in fulfilment of their particular duties. We see this as a far more proper and effective way to address the issue than having the various bodies trying to work together, as this dilutes responsibility and precludes proper accountability.
Our proposal primarily addresses the issue of public protection from Nuisance Calls in total. This particular story is one of many current examples of how the current approach to this is essentially flawed and will continue to fail. There is the also the issue of special individual measures that some are able to take and which the most vulnerable need to have in place. These are an important part of the general issue of Nuisance Calls, which must be tackled on ALL fronts.

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Well done Pudsey

8/10/2013

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BBC Countryfile calendar 2013

BBC Countryfile calendar 2014

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BT capitalises on public hatred of Nuisance Calls

2/10/2013

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In response to the BT price change announcements to take effect from 4 January 2014, which will shortly be circulated to customers,we address four elements of these changes:

Introduction of a charge for the “BT Privacy at Home” service
Introduction of a charge for the “BT Answer 1571” service
A 5.6% increase to the charge for the “Choose to Refuse” service
A 5.4% increase to the charge for the “Anonymous Caller Reject” service

Statement on the general issue of ‘Nuisance Calls’
Whilst the fair telecoms campaign recognises the important role that individual remedies and mitigation measures play, it considers the issue of Nuisance Calls, made over the public telephone network, to be a public matter. The ICO and Ofcom have a part to play in addressing this, through enforcement of the terms of Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations and use of the Persistent Misuse powers. It has however been proved that these bodies, even with some adjustment to the respective regulations and policies, will never be in a position to have any serious impact on the issue. Existing sectoral regulators do however have the necessary, and more appropriate, powers to control the activity that causes nuisance to be experienced, either directly or indirectly. We believe that those who seek to truly understand the situation, and wish for a serious improvement, must cease dealing with relatively trivial points that are accepted and turn their attention towards what is necessary to address the issue in an effective manner.

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Nuisance Calls - Action

Ofcom agrees - 'Fixed means Fixed'

A new approach is needed to tackle nuisance calls

Well done Pudsey

BT capitalises on public hatred of Nuisance Calls

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