Do-not-call Register for Pre-recorded Telephone Messages Commences to Accept Registration from Prefix-9 Numbers on 4 March 2008

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) announced today ( 3 March 2008 ) that the do-not-call register for pre-recorded telephone messages would commence to accept registrations from prefix-9 numbers on 4 March 2008.

"Members of the public can register their prefix-9 numbers onto the do-not-call register for pre-recorded telephone messages by calling the registration hotline 1835000 using the phone of the number they intend to register," a spokesperson of OFTA said.

"There is no deadline for registration. Members of the public can register their prefix-9 numbers onto the do-not-call register for pre-recorded telephone messages on any day at any time (except 23:00-24:00 each day when the database undergoes updating) on or after 4 March 2008," the spokesperson elaborated.

"The do-not-call register for pre-recorded telephone messages was first launched on 25 January 2008 and accepts registrations from prefix-2, prefix-3, prefix-6 and prefix-9 numbers in phases. As at 2 March 2008, 102,943 numbers have already been registered onto this register," the spokesperson explained.

For numbers registered onto the do-not-call register for pre-recorded telephone messages on or before 25 March 2008, the protection under the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance ("UEMO") will commence on 7 April 2008, irrespective of the prefix of the registered number. For numbers registered on or after 26 March 2008, the protection will start on the tenth working day after the registration date. Members of the public may check the registration date of their numbers by calling the registration hotline 1835000 or visiting the website at http://www.dnc.gov.hk.

"Up to 2 March 2008, 58,718 numbers have been registered onto the do-not-call register for fax and 81,657 numbers onto the register for short messages. These two registers have been operating smoothly since they were launched. Meanwhile, members of the public can continue to register their numbers by calling the registration hotline 1835002 for fax and 1835001 for short messages," the spokesperson continued.

For more information about the three do-not-call registers and the UEMO, please visit OFTA's website at http://www.ofta.gov.hk/en/uem/main.html. Members of the public may also call the public enquiry hotline for the do-not-call registers at 2180 6868 (operating from 8:00am to 10:00pm daily). Senders of commercial electronic messages who wish to know more about the application for subscription account of downloading the do-not-call registers may call another hotline at 2806 6778 (operating from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Monday to Friday except public holidays).

Office of the Telecommunications Authority
3 March 2008