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Rita Lau Reports on Do Not Call Register Statistics to Legco

First published: 28th February 2009

Following a question by the Hon Wong Ting-kwong (Legco Member for the Import and Export Functional Constituency), Mrs Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development gave a written answer detailing operational statistics of the Do Not Call Registers (DNC)and Unsolicited Electronic Messages Ordinance (UEMO) reports.

Three DNC Registries, for faxes, SMSs and pre-recorded phone messages, have been established under the UEMO, the registrations as at January 29, 2009 are:

 RegistrationsTotal "relevant" numbers% of total relevant numbers
DNC for facsimile messages401,257326,572
(facsimile lines in Hong Kong)
123%
DNC for short messages393,90711,389,185
(mobile subscribers in Hong Kong)
3.5%
DNC for pre-recorded telephone messages747,91815,118,194
(fixed and mobile subscribers in Hong Kong)
4.9%
Total registrations1,543,082

Explaining the high number of registrations on the fax register, Mrs. Lau pointed out that home phone lines can be connected to a fax machine. However, it should also be noted that some businesses may ave already opted to use phone lines as fax lines as a way of reducing unwanted faxes, and some businesses decided to register all of their numbers on all three lists, regardless of whether the equipment attached was capable of receiving that type of message.

In any case, Hong Kong users appear particularly adverse to receiving unwanted faxes.

Users receiving unsolicited commercial messages on numbers in a DNC registry can complain to OFTA, who can either issue a warning letter or enforcement notice. The complaints and responses as at January 29, 2009 are:

 Valid DNC complaintsEnforcement notices issuedWarning letters issued
DNC for facsimile messages684154
DNC for short messages401
DNC for pre-recorded telephone messages1901
Total707156

With over 1.5 million DNC registrations, and less than a thousand complaints, it appears that the registries are effective at discouraging unwanted messages - or victims are apathetic in reporting problems. Notably, the highest number of complains is for faxes, tending to confirm people's dislike of junk faxes, and the low number of UEMs for the other media.

Mrs Lau also summarised the number of all type of UEM report, up to 29th January 2009:

Reports
Received:9,309
Handled:6,638
Outstanding:2,671
Average reports per month, July - December 2008:740

The number of UEM staff has grown form eight in December 2007 to fourteen in December 2008.


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