| Steve Blow: A Zen-like remedy for phone rage 12/31/2000 By / The Dallas Morning News For some things in life, the fix seems worse than the affliction.
A few such problems that come to mind: Peeling paint. Old clothes. Unsightly grout.
I'll take any of those over the scraping, shopping or scrubbing required to correct them.
And I'm afraid that I may have foisted another such bad bargain on you.
It was this: 1-888-CALL-FCC.
See, I was ranting the other day about those infernal recorded sales calls we get at home. And a spokesman for the Federal Communications Commission cheerfully informed me that complaining is as easy as dialing the FCC consumer hotline.
Well, it's a hotline only in the sense that it connects you directly to telephone hell.
"For service in Spanish, please press 8, If you are a representative of a public safety entity..., please press 1. If your call concerns the auctioning of frequencies or if you have questions concerning universal licensing forms, please press 2. If your call concerns telephone-related issues such as slamming, cramming, universal services or access charges..., please press 3. If your call concerns interference problems....
Enough!
Or, for those who pressed 8, Basta!
Here's the hang-up
I heard from many who were frustrated by that FCC phone number. As one woman said, "I don't think I've been slammed, and I don't think I've been crammed, but I'm not sure what has happened to me."
What happened, friends, is that we all sank a little deeper into modern-day phone fun.
And here's another wrinkle. In the previous column, I said that FCC regulations prohibit recorded sales calls to your home unless there's "an established business relationship."
Well, several people who use automated callers in their businesses said that regulation doesn't apply to calls made inside Texas – only to calls between states.
And incredibly, neither FCC nor Texas Public Utility Commission staffers could tell me whether that's true.
"Umm, that is new to me. I don't know," said the FCC's Mike Balmoris.
"It's kind of a gray area," said the PUC's Teresa Gage.
Some help that is.
Do-not-call bill
The one bright spot is that some relief may be on the way. Important reforms will be proposed when the Texas Legislature convenes in a few days. And if you clamor loud enough, maybe we can get them passed.
Similar bills have died in the last two sessions because the telemarketing industry made a bigger fuss than you did.
State Rep. Burt Solomons of Carrollton will introduce a couple of bills on the subject. The most ambitious one would pull the state's "piecemeal" telemarketing regulations into one new code with clearer rules and surer punishment, he said.
The other bill is such a common-sense thing that we can't let it fail. It would create a single statewide do-not-call list.
Put your name on that list and telemarketers would be forbidden to call you. Presto!
Bob Johnston is a Dallas representative on AARP's state legislative committee. He said that bill is one of AARP's top priorities for this session.
"It should please everyone. These telemarketing companies say they don't want to call anyone who doesn't want to be called, so a statewide do-not-call list would be ideal," he said.
Mr. Solomons warns, "Nothing will put a stop to every call. But I think it will greatly reduce them."
So forget that FCC number. Call your state representative and senator instead. Tell them you want the telemarketing bills passed.
Now, one more thought.... I must say that I encountered a distressing level of anger over this whole issue. Phone rage, let's call it.
So while we await reform, try this: Politely tell telemarketers, "Please put me on your do-not-call list. Thank you."
Then hang up. Smile. And take a moment to be grateful for the luxury of a telephone at your fingertips.
Steve Blow can be reached at 214-977-8374 or at .
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