Last Call: Bush to Sign 'Do Not Call Implementation Act'
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A stroke of the pen by President Bush this afternoon is meant to end those annoying dinner time phone calls, but it probably won't. Live to Washington and CNN's Julie Vallese. Julie, there is nothing certain about this do not call list, is there?</s>JULIE VALLESE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is -- no, there is nothing certain, except nobody can really agree whether or not the Federal Trade Commission has the authority to implement it. Even with the president signing legislation, court rulings will keep the registry, but by going into effect. But there is a broader telemarketing sales rule, and come October 1, there will be rules that will go along with the sales pitch.</s>JULIE VALLESE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The National Do Not Call Registry is still taking numbers.</s>TIM SEARCY, AMERICAN TELESERVICES ASSN.: We understand that it's not business as usual. We have an obligation to change the way in which that we are working with U.S. consumers.</s>VALLESE: And by order of federal court calling the registry unconstitutional, telemarketers have an open line to consumers.</s>EILEEN HARRINGTON, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING PRACTICES, FTC: We intend to challenge this court ruling and challenge it all the way to the top if we have to.</s>VALLESE: Some parts of the "Do Not Call" rule are unaffected and new protections for consumers and ground rules for telemarketers will go into effect Wednesday, October 1.</s>HARRINGTON: If a telemarketer calls a consumer's residence, they have to have a live person on the phone within two seconds or in nor more than 3 percent of their calls, they may have a recorded message.</s>VALLESE: When telemarketers make calls, not only do they already have the name and number of the consumer, but in many cases, their credit card number.</s>HARRINGTON: Unauthorized billing is prohibited under the telemarketing sales rule. That means you may not bill a consumer's credit card account or any other account without the consumer's authorization.</s>VALLESE: Something that was allowed in the past for programs that had a free trial period. Some rules are already in effect. Consumers have the authority to tell a telemarketer to put them on that company's "Do Not Call" list and they must comply.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.</s>VALLESE: Now even more rules will go into effect. Come January 1, telemarketers can no longer block their number or the name of the business to caller ID -- Carol.</s>COSTELLO: Thanks very much. Julie Vallese reporting live from Washington this morning. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com