Telemarketers will now have to have your permission to interrupt your dinner with those robo-calls.
The Federal Communication Commission voted to adopt strict new rules Wednesday, closing a loophole in the "Do Not Call List."
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Previously, companies were allowed to contact you if they could claim they had an established relationship with you, the customer. The standard has now become much tougher.
Under the new rules, businesses will only be able to call customers who agree in writing to receive calls.
By the way, that "written" permission can be done online, it does not have to be handwritten. Each robo-call must include an opt-out option, so you can immediately tell the telemarketer you don't want to be bothered.
The FCC said the calls invade consumers' privacy. The agency added that the calls often cut into wireless customers' minutes as more consumers rely solely on wireless services and do not have landlines.
There are some exceptions. The FCC will allow charities and political campaigns to use robo-calls. Also- calls giving you information such as flight delays, prescription drug updates, or school closings will not be affected.
The FCC also voted to require Voice over Internet Protocol services, or VoIP, to report network outages that affect 911 emergency calls.
The reporting requirements are already in place for traditional carriers, and the vote extends them to the nearly one-third of residential telephone subscriptions provided through VoIP, like those offered by Vonage.