@Jonathan: Nearly all telemarketers use automated dialing-making it illegal for them to call cell phones in the US. No recorded messages allowed either, at all. Most overseas outsourcing is using VOIP, which nearly always means computer aided also.
In the US, it does not cost any more to call a cell phone than a regular line, the cell phone owner effectively pays for the call. This is different than in Europe where the caller pays to call a cell phone. It is the same with SMS here.
Both the FTC and FCC have regulations about calling cell phones here. Nearly all the telemarketing calls to cell phones I have gotten are illegal ones.
I have gotten 2 this week. This will probably be another post soon.

In the UK, telemarketing to mobiles (cell phones) is allowed if they are not on the TPS (our version of the DNC)

Most companies will not make cold calls to mobiles, due to the relatively high cost, and because you cannot tell where the recipients is – possible safety implications if they are dirving.

In your case, the telemarketers may NOT have been using a predictive dialler, keeping within the letter of the law – however, in both the UK and US once you ask not to be called that is it.

Most decent companies and outsourced telemarketing firms will comply with a remove request, as they do not want to waste time and resources calling again – but there are always a few mavericks out there!
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Not here in the US Alan.
No automated calling to cell phones. BTW, both the FTC and FCC have regulations covering these abuses. I have filed complaints with both agencies within the last year about telemarketers.

Has anyone heard about its now legal for companies to cold call you on your mobile telephone by being put through from another company?

True I have found that even being on a no call list doesn’t even help. I was phoned by the same company about three times yesterday by different callers despite my number being on a no call list. Some companies don’t care and its frustrating.

Cameron- You’re not far off.
There is technology that will call numbers and only leave messages on voice mail. Otherwise, it hangs up. The FCC allows this to be used only during certain hours of the day, but I still think it is dumb to allow it.
Out of country companies do the calling so there is no way of knowing where the call originates- if you answer you get a hang up, if you don’t it leaves a voice mail.
This is still illegal to cell phones.
NO AUTOMATED telemarketing is allowed to cell phone numbers (with a few common sense exception like you recently did business with the company).
..and no, you do not need to be on a no-call list for your cell phone.

ok, I got a call today from an unknown number that hunb up on me and looked it up (sometimes i’m afraid its juts a computer trying to find out who actually answers unknown numbers), the google result took me to a page where they were selling something. i wonder if some people have machines calling people with no phone message but just to get people to google a number that they’ve already optimized in the search engines? kind of underhanded, yet brilliant.

thats crazy, they actually argued with her. I believe that complain to the FCC does not equate to much. I feel as though frustration is all you are going to get, with Telemarketing companies there are no physical being to vent your anger upon.

I suspect that much of this type of telemarketing is not based in the US anymore so it may be hard for the US government to enforce sometimes, but often the product or service is still US based and still subject to the regulations.

Hi,
The telephones which are shown are the olden age pieces.
The information is looking good.
Thanks.