British telecom market regulator Ofcom today announced that the country’s mobile phone users can add their number to the UK’s official do not call database by texting TPS and their email address to 78070.

It is not legal for organizations to make unsolicited sales and marketing calls to numbers registered with the TPS. Organizations need the permission of mobile users to make unsolicited sales and marketing calls on their phones.

48 percent of people familiar with the TPS is aware that mobile numbers can be registered, compared to almost 88 percent for landline phone numbers.

2.9 million mobile numbers (around 3 percent) are registered on the TPS database, compared with 18.5 million landline numbers (around 85 percent).

By introducing the text-to-register process, Ofcom aim to raise awareness of the preference service among mobile users and drive registrations.

How text-to-register works

Mobile customers need to text TPS, followed by their email address to 78070 to register in the UK’s official do not call database. They will receive a text reply from the TPS confirming their number has been added to its database.

Ofcom says registrants should notice a gradual reduction in unsolicited sales and marketing voice calls after a few days, though it can take up to 28 days for the service to become fully effective.

People registered with the TPS achieved a reduction in the monthly volume of live sales or marketing calls received of around a third (31 percent). Registering with the TPS, however, does not prevent spam text messages.

Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom Consumer Group Director, said: “Many millions of landline customers already take advantage of the protection the TPS gives against nuisance calls, and we want to ensure it’s as easy as possible for mobile users to do the same.”