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Original poster

Does telephone preference actually work ?

24 replies

LIZS · 11/10/2005 14:15

Signed up for TPS 2 weeks ago but am still getting sales calls . They do back off when I say we are on tps but even so why are they calling in the first place?! Do they have "old" lists or something and if so how long does it take to kick in properly. Is the BT Privacy any different or more effective ?

aargh ....

OP posts:
OrribleOliveoil · 11/10/2005 14:16

think it is 28 days. Worked for us. We get the occasional one, the taped 'you have won a holiday' one that you can't turn off.

WigWamBam · 11/10/2005 14:16

Yes, it works - but you have to give it a month or so before it kicks in properly.

hornbag · 11/10/2005 14:23

it worked for us for ages but then we sudenly started getting calls again. Is this normal? Do you have to re-register or anything?

SleepySuzy · 11/10/2005 14:25

Yeah, it works - and was really quick for us, less than a fortnight, anyway.

CarolinaFullMoon · 11/10/2005 14:29

give it another week or two.

think BT Privacy is just TPS under BT branding.

you can't stop the international ones though , but the total number of calls will be much reduced.

ladymuck · 11/10/2005 14:29

Yes it dooes work - took a couple of months, but peace since.

Only works for UK calls - if you're getting cold calls from overseas call centres there's not so much you can do.

tamum · 11/10/2005 14:34

Works for us, too, but I agree it takes about a month. You can't stop banks and things either, anyone who has a "legitimate" reason, to whom you have given your phone number in the past.

NotActuallyAMum · 11/10/2005 15:30

Works for us too, think it happened within the month - agree it's a shame you can't stop international ones!!

Hornbag please don't quote me on this but I've got a feeling you may have to re-register after 5 years? Not certain though and I don't even know what's making me think this but I must have either read it or heard it somewhere

Furball · 11/10/2005 15:34

Probably be another week or so, in the meantime if they still ring, just say you are registered with the TPS. They then will scarper pretty sharpish.

throckenholt · 11/10/2005 15:37

worked for us - we did it about 18 months ago - were getting plagued by cold calls. Now we get none. Think it took a month or two for them to tail off.

Mummyvicky · 11/10/2005 15:46

Ive just found out the other week that it doesn't stop calls from other countries...which explains why I keep getting Indian accents trying to sell me mobile phones!!

WigWamBam · 11/10/2005 19:04

I haven't had to re-register and it's been much longer than 5 years since I signed up - it's probably closer to 10.

Agree it would be nice if it could stop the international calls and the local calls, but it's a huge improvement over what we used to have.

kath4kids · 11/10/2005 19:49

yep worked for us too

mamaoftwo · 11/10/2005 20:14

Can someone tell me how I can get this please? I'm with BT. How much does it cost?

today I've had 3 finance offers and 2 unavailable numbers I didn't actually answer. Totally fed up with it! Get about 20 - 25 sales type calls a week. And I'm hardly at home!

Thanks!!!!

Dior · 11/10/2005 20:22

Message withdrawn

Original poster
LIZS · 11/10/2005 20:41

Register here and it is free.

OP posts:
mamaoftwo · 11/10/2005 20:54

Thanks!!

Whizzz · 11/10/2005 20:55

The very occasional call still gets through but when it does, its nice to be able to tell them that they are breaking the law !

You can do it for junk post too if you wish

Nightynight · 11/10/2005 21:27

I read recently that telephone preference has been challenged successfully in the US by the marketing companies, because it violates their rights under amendment 1 (is that free speech?)

SueW · 11/10/2005 21:31

Has worked for me too - but we are also ex-directory.

Today I had someone knock on my door, ask for me by name, flash an npower card and tell me she was just following up a letter about gas prices rising and she just wanted to tell me that Transco and East Mids Electricity would still be supplying my utitilities but the prices would be cheaper. So I asked her how exactly she knew my name and could she repeat everything a little more slowly.

She did, kinda so I told her I was registered with eveery anti-marketing organisation on the planent and I was fairly sure her company hadn't obtained my name or the right to apporach me by any legal means and she tootled off.

Probably to pick on some poor older person who would be taken in by her smart clothes, her photo ID, clipboard and bright smile. I thought these b*stards had been banned?

eidsvold · 11/10/2005 22:13

yes

Furball · 12/10/2005 10:13

I had someone knock on my door asking if they could read me a short passage from the bible. Not surprising I declined, wondering how many people actually said yes to the offer!

Original poster
LIZS · 04/11/2005 17:15

Aaargh - I'm still getting calls, average 2 a day. When I say I'm on tps you shouldn't be phoning me I get all sorts of excuse from "oh our list must be an old one", "I'll take you off the list" to "well, I can still call, blah, blah .... " Not heard from Brenda in the US telling me I've won a prize this week though. Never any apology for disturbing me in the first place.

OP posts:
SueW · 04/11/2005 17:32

Lizs, I think marketing companies have to screen their lists every three months. At least for mail so it might be a while before it stops. But it will stop.

In the meantime, caller id is useful and a policy of never answering when it's 'Withheld No'

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