Do-not-call Web site gets plenty of calls
AT&T Government Solutions was adding servers and tweaking performance over the course of the day to handle a heavy load at the web site for the first nationwide do-not-call program to block telemarketers.
The Web site for the first nationwide do-not-call program to block telemarketers got flooded with virtual calls in its first day.
The www.donotcall.gov site, which went live at midnight Friday, registered 635,000 phone numbers as of 2:30 p.m. Eastern time, said David Torok, the Federal Trade Commission's program manager for the National Do Not Call Registry. The registry is a project of FTC and the Federal Communications Commission.
Acknowledging reports that consumers were having trouble reaching the new site, Torok said that the site contractor, AT&T Government Solutions of Vienna, Va., has been adding servers and tweaking performance over the course of the day. The site has been accepting as many as 60,000 registrations per hour, Torok said.
Under the rules for the new registry, consumers have until Aug. 31 to sign up for the antitelemarketing list that will go into effect Oct. 1. Consumers don't have to rush, he said, because everyone who signs up between now and Aug. 31 will be treated the same.
Nevertheless, FTC officials are "extraordinarily gratified by the huge demand we've seen," Torok said.
The trade commission's home page cautions that users may experience slow response time at donotcall.gov.