Marketing to Wireless Numbers Reference Guide

Since the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) was enacted in 1991 the rate of change in how we communicate and the technology we use to do so has accelerated. Statistics show that most Americans have given up their landline telephones in favor of wireless devices. Marketing to wireless numbers presents some unique challenges and should be approached with extra caution as the laws governing them are stricter and vary by state.

Challenges marketers face

TCPA regulations have prompted a shift in marketing strategy to “permission based” marketing practices which makes knowing who you’re calling essential. Sometimes marketers may not know that they are calling wireless numbers for a several reasons:

• Wireless number records aren’t readily available. There is no national list or directory like the federal and state Do Not Call registries and the onus is on the marketer to know who they are contacting.
• Consumers can now “port” their landline numbers to their wireless devices. Thus, a number that is ok to call today, may be illegal to call tomorrow.
• In densely populated areas, as many as 20% of cell phone owners change their numbers and consumers are not obligated to notify anyone.

This content was created for informational purposes only; the information herein is not intended to be legal advice; anyone reading this should not act, or refrain from acting, upon any of the information herein without consulting an attorney.