FCC targets mobile telemarketing

The FCC’s update to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which went into effect Oct. 16, requires advertisers to obtain written consent from current and future subscribers before initiating any mobile telemarketing call or text message. According to Kay-Tee Franke, owner of Engaging Results Communications in Madison, the law, which targets mobile (SMS) marketing campaigns, will almost immediately throw many companies out of compliance because it was passed with little notice. “A key takeaway is that any past or current relationship with subscribers doesn’t necessarily equal consent,” Franke said in a release. Penalties range from $500 to $1,500 per call or text message.