Research Orgs File Information Prior to TCPA Vote

US research bodies CASRO and the MRA have filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission, making the research industry's case prior to a vote on changes to the TCPA regulations this Thursday.

The two organisations are working together more closely than ever before, to combat proposals which they say 'could seriously harm survey, opinion and marketing research conducted by phone'. The latest document was filed last Wednesday, 10th June with the FCC and urges it to modernize the TCPA Regulations for Calling Cell Phones. Specifically, the document calls for the FCC limit its use of the term 'robocall', clarify the definition of an autodialer, and establish a 'bright line rule' regarding reasonable opt-out and a clear standard for notice to callers of wireless number reassignment.

On the first of these, the bodies request that 'the Commission limit use of the inflammatory term 'robocall' strictly to autodialed calls delivering an automated or pre-recorded message'. It points out: 'A call initiated by an autodialer that connects a consumer to a live operator is not a 'robocall'. Improper use of this term confuses the issue for consumers and wrongfully lumps together two distinct practices'.

According to MRA, the issue if of considerable significance for the telephone research industry given that around 78 million US households (58.8%) are today mostly or only reachable via wireless (cell) phone, the use of which for research purposes is limited by the TCPA as enforced by the FCC.

Web sites: www.marketingresearch.org and www.casro.org .