The Do Not Call (DNC) Registry has been gaining strong traction with consumers and businesses, with more than 420,000 mobile numbers and more than 980 organisations registered as of 8 January 2014.

Set up by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) as part of the Personal Data Protection Act 2012, the DNC Registry enables consumers to register their Singapore telephone numbers if they wish to opt out of receiving unsolicited telemarketing messages which offer, advertise or promote  goods  and services for commercial purposes.

Officially launched on 2 January 2014, the Registry gives consumers a choice whether or not to block telemarketing messages sent via voice, text or fax, or a combination of these. Once a number is listed with the Registry, businesses can contact the consumer on that number only if they have received “clear and unambiguous consent” from him.

There is also an Exemption Order which further fine-tunes the choices available to the consumer. Instead of an “all or none” option, he can continue receiving marketing messages on related products or services from his existing service provider.

The Exemption Order allows organisations to send text or fax marketing messages to consumers with whom they have an ongoing relationship, if those messages concern products and services that are relevant in the context of that ongoing relationship.

For example, a bank or credit card company would be able to send its existing credit card holders telemarketing messages about related services, such as a rewards programme for credit card holders.

In such cases, the organisation does not have to check with the DNC Registry before sending the messages, but it must provide an unsubscribe or opt-out facility within the same message for customers to opt out of such exempt messages.

To ensure minimal intrusion, the exemption will not apply to voice calls, and organisations are still required to check against the DNC Registry before making telemarketing calls to promote related products and services.

As of 8 January 2014, about 440 organisations have sent in their marketing lists to be checked against the DNC Registry. These include companies in the banking, telecommunications, property, insurance and contact centre sectors.

As Singapore continues to make strides in strengthening its data protection regime, the PDPC will be monitoring developments to ensure that companies comply with the PDPA and that both organisations and consumers will benefit from the personal data protection rules that have been put in place, said PDPC Chairman Mr Leong Keng Thai.

Consumer complaints will be carefully assessed and errant organisations taken to task if necessary.

“The PDPC will not hesitate to enforce against organisations which breach the DNC provisions,” said Mr Leong. “We strongly urge organisations to check against the DNC Registry before sending telemarketing messages if they haven’t done so and if they don’t have clear consent from the individuals.”