# Telemarketing on my Cell Phone - Really? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 13, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353 "2005-12-13T01:53:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/1 "2005-12-13T01:53:44Z")
Dear Teeming Millions - I got an e-mail from a friend warning me that, in a few months, telemarketers will be able to call me on my cell phone and bother me. His e-mail included a number I could call and opt out - sort of a National Do Not Call for Cell Phones. Is this real, or a scam to try to collect cell phone numbers? TIA. Regards, Shjodan ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/2 "2005-12-13T02:01:39Z")
[Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp) says false to the specific claim your friend makes, however, a group of cell carriers will be trying to compile a sort of 411 directory for cell numbers. This list will not be sold to telemarketing companies or be available through the media normally used by telemarketing firms to obtain numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/3 "2005-12-13T02:03:52Z")
You can use the Do Not Call regsitry on all of your numbers - cell or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/4 "2005-12-13T02:11:31Z")
I deleted a duplicate thread and merged them into this one, in case anyone notices anything strange. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/5 "2005-12-13T13:50:11Z")
Thanks to all for your responses. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/6 "2005-12-14T23:29:11Z")
A VP in my company sent this one around to several thousand people last month ( :wally ) Anyway, I pointed people to the Snopes article and to [QSent’s webpage](http://www.qsent.com/wireless411/) QSent is the company hired to manage the Wireless 411. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/7 "2005-12-14T23:57:25Z")
What is 411 service? **Tastes of Chocolate** ’s link did not really say. Is it anything more than a directory you can call and have them look up a listed phone number? ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/8 "2005-12-15T00:01:32Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > [Snopes](http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp) says false to the specific claim your friend makes, however, a group of cell carriers will be trying to compile a sort of 411 directory for cell numbers. This list will not be sold to telemarketing companies or be available through the media normally used by telemarketing firms to obtain numbers. Interesting link - thanks for posting it. I’m glad to hear it’s illegal for marketers to use autodialers to call wireless phones. Obviously someone was violating the law a few months back, when my husband and I got several telemarketing calls on our cell phones within a few days of each other. I don’t recall whether the calls were from a machine but probably so. If that happens again, I’ll know to note the phone number and rat them out to whatever Powers Might Give A Rat’s Backside 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/9 "2005-12-15T18:58:31Z")
> [@gazpacho](#): > > What is 411 service? **Tastes of Chocolate** ’s link did not really say. Is it anything more than a directory you can call and have them look up a listed phone number? Per their [Q&A](http://www.qsent.com/wireless411/wireless411_q-a.pdf) > [@](#): > > What is the Wireless 411 Service? > The Wireless 411 Service™ is the free consumer choice-based, privacy-protected inclusion of wireless listings in the existing nationwide > landline voice 411 system. The service will give consumers the choice to include their wireless phone numbers in voice 411 and > will be available to both landline and wireless phone users. The service is planned for launch in 2006, when wireless carriers may > opt to offer it to customers. and > [@](#): > > How will people access the service? > The Wireless 411 Service will be accessible through the existing landline voice 411 system. No special number will be needed. During > a typical voice 411 information call, the operator will inquire whether the caller wants a landline or a wireless number. If a wireless > number is requested and the person requested chose to list their number, the operator will access the wireless database and either > provide the number or connect the caller. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/10 "2005-12-15T19:05:44Z")
You know I read those parts. Which is why I asked the question. You notice the wireless 411 service is defined by saying it works like the landline 411 service. ---
**Author:** ![Gainey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@Gainey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gainey)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/11 "2005-12-15T19:12:28Z")
I used to work for Nielsen Media Research and I can confirm that even for a reputable survey company, calling cell phones is illegal. The catch is that the respondent must tell the interviewer they have reached a cell phone. During the training process at NMR, the last question before the closing statement asks: “Am I speaking to you right now on a cell phone?” If the respondent’s answer is positive the call will be terminated. Training calls have no effect on the TV ratings, but they are used for other research purposes. If more and more people use cell phones as their default phone, purchase unlimited minutes, or find telemarketers/surveys to be a valid use of their minutes, the law will be relaxed. ---
**Author:** ![Queuing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Queuing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queuing)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telemarketing-on-my-cell-phone-really/335353/12 "2005-12-15T19:46:23Z")
411 is basically a phone book you call. Its like dialing operator in the old days (at least I think it is, wasn’t around in the old days). It is also commonly reffered to as ‘information’. You call, say the city you want, the name you are looking for, it says the number, and offers to connect you to it for a fee. Here, in Ontario at least, 411 is free on payphones and for numbers that wouldn’t be in your local phone book.