Almost nine in 10 (87%) Brits receive phone calls from withheld numbers – 40% get at least one per week, while 9% get at least one per day
Eight in 10 (80%) mobile users receive unwanted telephone marketing calls – almost a fifth (18%) get at least one per week; 15% get at least three per week
More than two thirds (68%) get unwanted text messages they cannot unsubscribe from – almost a quarter (24%) at least once per week
But almost six in 10 (59%) say they opt never to share their personal data with third parties and never give their mobile numbers out if they can help it (58%), while over half (51%) have signed up to the Telephone Preference Service****
More than eight in ten (83%) receive unwanted telephone marketing calls on their home phones1 – in spite of more than half (53%) being ex-directory.
Prolific nuisance calls and texts are a scourge affecting the vast majority of Brits, even though millions have taken active steps to eliminate them, according to new research from Uswitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service. Almost nine in 10 (87%) Brits receive phone calls from withheld numbers, with four in 10 (40%) getting at least one per week. But an unfortunate one in 10 (9%) people say they receive at least one call from a withheld number every single day.
Eight in 10 (80%) people receive unwanted marketing calls to their mobiles, with almost a fifth (18%) having to contend with at least one cold call per week and 15% getting at least three per week1. A similar number – 83% – receive sales calls on their landline phones too, even though more than half of respondents (53%) are not even listed in the phone book.
More than two thirds (68%) of mobile users report getting text messages they don’t want to receive and cannot unsubscribe from, with almost a quarter (24%) receiving these on a weekly basis, or more regularly. And if those weren’t annoying enough, more than half (56%) of mobile users get calls that play recorded voice messages when answered. More than a fifth (22%) of Brits get these at least once per week.
Four in 10 (40%) mobile customers report getting calls that leave them blank voicemail messages. In fact, more than a fifth (21%) of mobile Brits get these at least once per week.
In spite of the overwhelming findings, the majority of telecoms customers say they have taken steps to prevent the scourge of nuisance calls. Almost six in 10 (59%) Brits say they always opt out of having their data shared with third parties when filling in forms, while almost the same number (58%) say they never give their phone number out if they can help it. More than half (51%) have now subscribed to the Telephone Preference Service, which is the official central opt out register where consumers can record their preference not to receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls.
However, more than a fifth (21%) of Brits admit they are completely in the dark, and have no idea how to avoid nuisance calls and texts**.**
The table below shows what mobile and home phone users are having to contend with when it comes to nuisance calls, and how often they receive them:
Source: Uswitch.com survey
Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at Uswitch.com, says: “Nuisance calls are the scourge of a modern society that shares data, and lots of it. The result is intensely irritating cold calls, automated voice messages and unsolicited texts. Worse still are telephone scams that swindle vulnerable people out of money. Some people are too frightened to answer their home phones and many won’t answer their mobiles if they don’t recognise the caller’s number, which partly negates the point of having a phone and being contactable in the first place.
“It’s encouraging that more than half the respondents we surveyed had signed up to the Telephone Preference Service and even more are being careful about who they give their mobile numbers to. What isn’t encouraging is how prolific nuisance calls and texts are in spite of the steps people are obviously taking to eliminate them.
“We’ve heard of people getting unsolicited texts from PPI claims companies within just a few days of using a brand new SIM, having not shared their number with anyone. It’s just not acceptable.
“While several bodies – including Ofcom and the Communications Consumer Panel – are tackling nuisance calls, change can’t come soon enough. Consumers can keep the pressure on by continuing to lodge complaints, with the TPS and/or the Information Commissioner’s Office for unwanted live telesales calls, and silent or abandoned calls with Ofcom.”
Ernest Doku’s Tips For Avoiding Nuisance Calls:
Ofcom is committed to tackling nuisance calls and has published a guide on how to tackle the issue, and how to complain. The regulator also has a telephone helpline (0300 123 3333) or you can write to Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA.
If you’re receiving unwanted unsolicited sales and marketing calls you can register your mobile or home phone number with the Telephone Preference Service (www.tpsonline.org.uk or 0845 070 0707) free of charge, where you can also make a complaint. You could also complain to the Information Commissioners Office, who can be contacted by phone on 0303 123 1113.
A number of home phone providers have taken steps to help protect consumers, such as enabling them to reject calls from anonymous callers. The majority of these services come at a cost although TalkTalk has recently made its full range of services free. Other providers may follow TalkTalk’s lead. It’s worth contacting your provider – either by phone or email – to see if they offer any services that block nuisance calls.
Maja Hauke
Phone: 0207 148 4663
Email: maja.hauke@uswitch.com
Respondents were asked ‘do you receive any of the following?” Full results can be viewed in the table above.
Respondents were asked ‘do any of the following statements apply to you?’ 52.5% said ‘I am ex-directory (not listed in the phone book), 51.3% said ‘I have subscribed to the Telephone Preference Service, 59.1% said ‘I make sure I always opt out when filling out forms, so my phone number isn’t shared with third parties’, 57.5% said ‘I never give my phone number out if I can help it’, 20.9% said ‘I don’t know how to avoid nuisance calls and texts, 5.4% said ‘none of the above’.
According to ONS there are 44.9million UK adults, 94% of whom own/use a mobile phone according to Ofcom = 42,206,000. Of these mobile phone users, 51.3% (21.6milion) have subscribed to the TPS, 59.1% (24.9million) always opt out of having their data shared with third parties when filling in forms, and 57.5% (24.2million) never give their numbers out if they can help it.
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