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Advice on dealing with "silent calls"

Steve Bennett made this Freedom of Information request to Office of Communications

The request was successful.

From: Steve Bennett

14 April 2009

Dear Sir or Madam,

I'd like some advice on how to deal with "silent calls".

My wife has been receiving "silent calls" from a number (0800 021
7172), pretty much every day, for over a month.

Calling the number gets through to someone claiming to be either
Scottish Power or Orange (and is clearly neither organisation).

I called the my wife's telephone provider (Orange) who told me to
call TPS, ICSTIS, ICO or Ofcom to complain.

The Telephone Preference Service says "unfortunately we are unable
to deal with complaints relating to silent calls"

ICSTIS now seems to be called "PhonePayPlus", and their advice is:
"Ofcom is responsible for the regulation
of [0800] numbers"

ICO says that "For more advice about silent calls please contact
Ofcom"

The Ofcom website directs complaints about "silent or nuisance
calls" to TPS.

A search on "whocallsme.com" shows that a very large number of
consumers are receiving similar calls from this same number, and
also have found no method to stop the calls.

I would appreciate some advice on how to deal with this matter.

Yours faithfully,

Steve Bennett.

Link to this

From: OCCtelecoms
Office of Communications

16 April 2009

Ofcom reference: 1-97097489

16 April 2009

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your email to Ofcom dated 14 April 2009 regarding the
unsolicited calls your wife has been receiving from 0800 021 7172.

The types of calls received are known as silent calls as you are aware.
Most silent calls are not generated with malicious intent but are caused
by automated calling systems such as power diallers used by call centres
for telemarketing. The diallers are programmed to generate and attempt to
connect calls. If there are not enough call centre agents available to
handle a call, it is abandoned if the call is answered by a live
individual.

It would appear from dialling the above number that you were contacted by
Orange regarding the broadband services they can offer to their existing
customers.

In 2006, Ofcom carried out an own initiative investigation into silent
calls. Details can be found on our website:
[1]www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/comp_bull_index/comp_bull_ocases/open_all/cw_905/.
As a result of this consultation, we announced a series of new measures to
protect consumers from silent calls. Ofcom can now fine companies found to
be in breach of silent call regulations up to £50,000.

Please be assured that a record of your complaint has been made here.
Ofcom is unable to get involved in individual disputes however, we offer
advice that will help resolve a consumer*s issue. We also collate data on
the complaints we receive for monitoring purposes.

The use of the telephone for unsolicited direct marketing purposes is
covered by The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive)
Regulations.

Under the Regulations individual cannot be telephoned for unsolicited
direct marketing purposes if they have previously notified the caller that
such calls should not be made on that line. Individual subscribers can
also register with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS).

The TPS is a register of individual subscribers who do not want to receive
unsolicited telemarketing calls. If your telephone number has been
registered for over 28 days, and you are still receiving unsolicited
telemarketing calls, you should complain to TPS. TPS will contact the
company concerned and include the complaint on the regular report it sends
to the Information Commissioner.

Please be aware that the TPS will not prevent companies that consider you
a customer from making contact with you however, they should abide by any
requests made by yourself to not be contacted by telephone.

For further advice and information about the TPS, please contact:
Telephone Preference Service, DMA House, 70 Margaret Street, London W1W
8SS (Tel: 020 7291 3320). Email: [2][email address]; and Web:
[3]www.tpsonline.org.uk. The TPS Registration line is 0845 070 0707.

The Regulations, including those provisions in the Regulations which apply
to the TPS are enforced by the Information Commissioner*s Office, Wycliffe
House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF (Tel: 01625 545 700).
Email: [4][email address]; and Web:
[5]www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk.

Thank you for providing us with the details of the company that has been
calling you. This will feed into the statistics we collate in order to
monitor trends in consumer concerns and any potential breach of
regulations.

I hope this information proves useful.

Yours faithfully

::Charlotte Cullen
Telecoms Team
Ofcom Consumer Services

::Ofcom
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London SE1 9HA
020 7981 3040
0300 123 3333
[6]www.ofcom.org.uk

We always aim to improve customer service levels. As part of this, we may
pass your details to a research agency who will be conducting some
research for us. If you would prefer not to be contacted for research
purposes, you can telephone Ofcom on 0800 169 7670. Please note this is a
voicemail service only and we will not be able to discuss your complaint
or question on this number. Alternatively, you can email your Ofcom
reference and full name with the message *No contact* to
[email address].

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/bulletins/comp_b...
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.fpsonline.org.uk/
4. mailto:[email address]
5. http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/
6. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/

Link to this

From: Steve Bennett

16 April 2009

Dear Charlotte,

Thanks for the reply. However, I have already complained to Orange
Customer Service about the calls, and they claim that 0800 021 7172
is not operated by Orange. The Orange Customer Service
representative that I spoke to advised me to complain to Ofcom
about these calls.

The phone being called is already registered with Telephone
Preference Service. However, TPS say that they cannot accept any
complaints about "silent calls", so this seems to be a handy way to
avoid the TPS rules.

Are you able to advise me which company has registered the number
0800 021 7172?

Thanks in advance,

Steve Bennett

Link to this

From: OCCtelecoms
Office of Communications

22 April 2009

Ofcom reference: 1-97097489

22 April 2009

Dear Mr Bennett

Thank you for your further email to Ofcom dated 16 April 2009 regarding
the unsolicited calls your wife have recently received. Please be assured
that a copy of your email has been added to the complaint you have
previously registered with Ofcom.

In an effort to assist you, I have once again dialled: 0800 021 7172 in an
effort to establish the origin of the calls.

The advisor I spoke to explained that she was calling on behalf of Orange
from a company call iResponse that works on behalf of another company
called Optima. As these calls were made on behalf of Orange, you will need
to dispute this issue with them directly.

Ofcom allocates telephone number to phone companies; these are intern are
allocated to individual lines. However, we are unable to access
information regarding the individual consumer or business that a
particular number has been allocated to for general use.

Thank you once again for providing us with the details of the calls you
have received. This information will feed into the statistics we collate
in order to monitor trends in consumer concerns and any potential breach
of regulations.

I hope this information proves useful.

Yours faithfully

::Charlotte Cullen
Telecoms Team
Ofcom Consumer Services

::Ofcom
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London SE1 9HA
020 7981 3040
0300 123 3333
[1]www.ofcom.org.uk

We always aim to improve customer service levels. As part of this, we may
pass your details to a research agency who will be conducting some
research for us. If you would prefer not to be contacted for research
purposes, you can telephone Ofcom on 0800 169 7670. Please note this is a
voicemail service only and we will not be able to discuss your complaint
or question on this number. Alternatively, you can email your Ofcom
reference and full name with the message `No contact' to
[email address].

show quoted sections

References

Visible links
1. http://www.ofcom.org.uk/
http://www.ofcom.org.uk/