TELEMARKETING No-call sign-ups exceed Wisconsin expectations

The state expects half of all residential phone lines to be off-limits to telemarketers.
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A flood of last-minute callers to Wisconsin's consumer protection agency are trying to squeeze onto the state's new no-call list for telemarketers.
Officials expect by Sunday, the phone numbers of more than 2 million people will be on the list -- double what had been projected when registrations started in September.
People who sign up before Sunday will have their phone numbers on the list until Dec. 31, 2004.
"I expected about a million people to sign up the first year," said Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, the sponsor of the legislation that created the no-call list.
"We'll probably have half of all the residential phone lines in the state on the list. That's great. It sends a strong message to those who think telemarketing isn't a big deal. It is a very big deal to a lot of people."
The new law prohibits telemarketers from calling households on the no-call list when trying to sell goods or services, or even when trying to set up appointments with people to discuss selling something.
Registration required
The program is funded completely by the telemarketing companies, who must register with the state to receive the list.
Companies that call numbers on the list could be forced to pay up to $100 for each violation.
People may still receive solicitation calls from businesses where they are clients, businesses that have their permission to call, nonprofit organizations asking for donations or polling or political organizations.