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For immediate distribution
15th July 2008
Telco supports restricting telemarketers
Dunedin telecommunications company VentureVoIP Ltd today came out in support of UnitedFuture’s policy for a registry of
telephone subscribers wishing to escape the reach of telemarketers. Earlier this year, the Direct Marketing Association
established a voluntary registry of people not wanting calls, which they claim is working successfully.
But the CEO of VentureVoIP, Ian Lamb, said that following overseas experience, the proposed legislation will ensure
industry compliance and consumers privacy.
``In the United States,’’ said Lamb, ``telemarketers face substantial penalties for breaching the privacy of people who
have elected to go on a Do Not Call (DNC) list.’’ Lamb’s company has for some time been assisting international call
centres to comply with restrictions placed on who they may call.
``We provide state-of-the-art software to companies all over the world, all of whom are increasingly wary of
transgressing DNC registers,’’ Lamb said. He saw no difficulties in equipping New Zealand telemarketers to avoid calling
subscribers who preferred not to by disturbed in their homes.
Noting the call by Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff for an end to cold-calling by call centres, Lamb agreed with her
that the best solution would be the introduction of a national Do Not Call system in New Zealand; a proposal supported
by UnitedFuture’s Deputy Leader, Judy Turner. But Lamb thought it would be too easy for telemarketers to claim an
accidental breach in the absence of penalties.
``The kind of software we have developed means there is no reason for any call centre to be intruding on people who have
opted to reject unsolicited calls,’’ he added.
VentureVoIP is New Zealand’s only end-to-end VOIP telephone company, operating its own exchanges and serving primarily
business customers. It has produced a range of innovative telecommunications software products, which it sells
internationally.
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