More than 200,000 Australians listed their phone numbers on the national Do Not Call Register (DNCR) in the 24 hours after it opened for pre-registrations.
"We have had a fantastic response to the opening of the online registrations and there's still plenty of time for people to get on board, either online, by mail or by telephone, before the register becomes fully operational on 31 May," Chris Chapman, ACMA chairman said.
From 31 May, it will be illegal to make telemarketing calls to numbers on the DNCR.
From 25 May, telemarketers will be able to submit their calling lists to the register operator for checking against the register. This will allow sufficient time for telemarketers affected to have their lists checked against the register before 31 May.
The Australian Teleservices Association (ATA) has called on Senator Coonan to outline a clear enforcement strategy for the DNCR and provide details of enforcement funding over the next five years amid concern for members over the cost of participation.
ATA executive director, Michael Meredith said the ATA wants to help ACMA assure members the DNCR can produce the outcomes aimed for in the interest of consumers but an absence of a clear enforcement strategy and the proposed costs make it hard for industry to accept another layer of bureaucracy and additional costs for compliance when the positive outcomes are dubious and negative outcomes are likely.
"If clear, definable and measurable enforcement strategies are absent from the mix, all we are left with is a dead hand that threatens to stifle growth and cost jobs in the industry," Meredith said.
"It is not clear at this stage how effective enforcement will be funded and the concern is the DNCR will end up a massive white elephant that is costly and unwieldy to correctly administer."
