The number of 'silent calls' received by consumers has dropped considerably since new Ofcom regulations were introduced, research shows.
Landline customers are being bothered less by telemarketers as a result of new rules, according to a new study.
Research by the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and Brookmead Consulting found that the number of silent calls received by consumers has dropped from 9.6 per month in 2005 to 2.1 per month last year. The report cited new regulations from industry watchdog Ofcom as the reason for the decline.
Unwelcome calls received by consumers also fell by 20 percent to 4.6 per month during the last year.
Additionally, three out of five UK homes are blocking unsolicited sales and marketing calls by signing up to the TPS. The TPS is a register where people can choose to opt out of receiving the calls, with businesses legally obliged to not call people on the register.
According to the research, the increased TPS registrations, along with the Ofcom regulations and general consumer distrust, have led to many companies rethinking their telemarketing strategy.
"It is pleasing to note that consumers are less concerned about silent calls and receive fewer unwelcome cold calls," commented Mike Lordan, director of consumer services at the Direct Marketing Association. "However, although general levels of compliance are improving there are still many areas that require action."
