Your Cell Number Is Not Going Public

By JOHN VOKET

Published: Aug 27, 2010 12:00 am

WALLINGFORD â Have you received an email forwarded to you by one of your friends saying that one day very soon cellphone numbers are going to be released to marketers, and that you will be spammed by unwanted sales calls?

Donât worry. It is not going to happen and even if it does, federal law prohibits telemarketing calls to mobile telephones.

This is one of those rumors that just will not die. According to the email, you can expect to be inundated by sales calls, and charges for those incoming calls will show up on your cellphone bill unless you call a special number at the national Do Not Call (DNC) Registry to get your cellphone number blocked for the next five years.

There is a national DNC registry, and there is no harm in registering your cellphone number on it, but no national release of cellphone numbers is scheduled or planned. According to the website snopes.com, this rumor started several years ago when some of the major wireless companies planned to create a 411 national directory.

In the end, the directory never materialized, yet the rumor persists.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a special Web page: www.ftc.gov/opa/2007/02/dnccellphones.shtm that addresses the rumors and sets the record straight.

According to information on the site:

*Cellphone numbers are not being released to telemarketers and there are no imminent plans to do so.

*There is no deadline to register your mobile phone number with the DNC registry.

*There is only one DNC Registry; there is no separate list for cellphones and the DNC Registry covers both mobile phone and land line numbers.

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), even if a wireless 411 directory is set up, most telemarketing calls to cellphones would remain illegal, regardless whether a number is on the Do Not Call Registry.

And there is more good news. In 2007 the FTC got rid of the five-year expiration date on DNC registries.

So once your number is registered, you will not have to renew it.

To put your phone number in the DNC Registry, go to www.donotcall.gov or call toll-free, 888-382-1222.

Says ‘No’ Vote Sidestepped Due Diligence

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Friends Grateful To The Community

Friends Grateful To Town And Local Businesses

We Need A First Selectman Who Cares

es, Councilman Pisani used strong words—but let’s not pretend there isn’t real frustration behind them. When a serious and measured question about protecting public safety, reducing taxpayer costs, and improving traffic control is met with performative outrage and political theater, frustration is more than justified. It’s earned. I too will continue to vote for those who will fight for everyone's rights. Newtown deserves leadership that's not afraid to speak the truth and to suggest positive change.

Replies To Pisani

Speaking of SMH, Ackert’s comment is the perfect example of why Newtown’s public discourse has become so toxic. He accuses Councilman Pisani of ignoring the will of “26 out of 30” people—as if 30 people in a room define the will of an entire town. That’s not how representative government works, and it's certainly not how thoughtful policymaking should be conducted. Ackert runs a Facebook group that has made a habit of weaponizing process. At nearly every turn, he threatens lawsuits over minor procedural points, creating unnecessary hurdles and sowing fear. This isn't civic engagement—it's obstruction, dressed up as activism. And it comes at a cost to taxpayers, town staff, and the very businesses that help keep Newtown vibrant. Councilman Pisani raised a valid question about whether it’s worth exploring an ordinance that could both protect protestors and save the town $225,000 in police overtime. He didn’t propose banning protests. He didn’t even draft an ordinance. He asked whether we should consider one. For that, he’s met with mockery and personal attacks. It’s telling that his critics can’t engage with the substance—they just yell “stupid” louder and hope no one notices. If Mr. Ackert is so sure of his position, perhaps he should stop threatening lawsuits and start presenting ideas that balance safety, fiscal responsibility, and smart development. Until then, spare us the righteous indignation.

Pisani to Sue Newtown – Part 1

I’ll gladly stop referring to the group as a “mob” when they stop behaving like one at public hearings. Expressing a different point of view is one thing—drowning out speakers, jeering at volunteers, and weaponizing misinformation is another. That kind of conduct deserves to be called out plainly. As for the projects you referenced, I agree—repurposing existing structures such as the Taunton Press and redeveloping long-blighted properties are welcome improvements. But those projects weren't met with the same level of opposition because they built on what already existed. When development touches vacant land—even when owned privately—this same group regularly mounts loud, emotional campaigns that ignore property rights and long-term planning needs. Newtown is a wonderful place to live, largely due to thoughtful planning and strong leadership. That includes the courage to say yes when it's easier to say no. I appreciate respectful disagreement. What I don’t accept is a pattern of obstruction disguised as community concern. Let’s all raise the level of discourse—but that also means calling out tactics that are meant to intimidate or mislead.

Who is Calling Newtowners Stupid?

Sorry Lynn, not letting you get away with this. Yes, we all have the constitutional right to demonstrate peacefully but NO, no one ever said anything about taking that right away. You just made it up.

Expresses Opposition To Proposed Assembly Ordinance

A small Newtown business lost important revenue because of the protest. Traffic was disrupted causing a safety concern. Newtown taxpayers paid for police OT because the PD had to react to the protest rather than be prepared in advance. God forbid, if there was loss of life or property, Newtown could be liable legally for negligence. Your comment sounds like Liberal Woke thinking and apparently you are more sympathetic to protestors than to Newtown. Non-issue? In Kerrville TX the legislative body had the chance to vote for a flash flood siren warning system. They thought it was a non-issue. Now, over 200 people are dead and families are destroyed. No way does the town not get expensively buried in court should it be foolish enough to NOT go down this path.

Assembly Ordinance?

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Your Cell Number Is Not Going Public

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