Attempt to ban voicemail spamming
Rogers Wireless Inc. appeals to Canadian Radio-television and
Telemarketing Commission for a ban on voicemail spamming.
Canadian wireless operator Rogers Wireless
Inc. is appealing to the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to ban the marketing practice of
voicemail spamming.
The process the company objects to is known as 'voicecasting' and
involves the use of an automated dialling device to transmit marketing
messages directly into the voicemail accounts of mobile telephones.
Because the messages are transmitted directly to the voicemail accounts,
the telephone does not ring, so consumers don't realise they've received
the advertising messages until they retrieve their voicemail.
In a complaint filed with the CRTC, Rogers
Wireless argued that mobile phone customers should not have to
pay airtime charges to access marketing messages that have been disguised
as legitimate voicemail. The company also pointed out that the costs are
even higher for customers who retrieve messages while abroad, when roaming
or long-distance charges also come into play.
Somewhat surprisingly, the man credited with inventing voicemail
spamming says he agrees with Rogers
Wireless. Cesar Correia, founder of Infolink Technologies Inc., the largest provider
of voicecasting services in Canada, said: 'Customers should not be
incurring charges when somebody is sending a voicecast to a cellphone.
It's unfair to the public'.
Telephone companies and consumer groups will be hoping that Rogers Wireless has put together a strong case -
in 2001 Bell made a similar complaint to
the CRTC about voicecasting, but the regulator ruled that there was
insufficient evidence to suggest that the practice was a nuisance to
consumers. This time the CRTC is expected to issue a public notice and
seek comment on the issue.
03 January 2006
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