Teagmháil gan Iarraidh & Bunachar Eolaí Náisiúnta

Mobile Phone – National Directory Database (NDD)

The NDD has currently two functions it holds the directory listing details of all consumers who wish to be listed for directory enquiry purposes and it holds the details of all consumers who do not wish to be contacted by direct marketing companies.

Directory Enquiry Listings

Under the Universal Service and User’s Rights Regulations S.I. No 337 of 2011 the Universal Service Provider is required to keep a record (known as the National Directory Database (NDD) of all subscribers of publicly available telephone numbers in the state, who have not refused to be included in that record. Please note that you should contact your telephone service provider if you wish to amend your NDD listing.

Eir as the Universal Service Provider must also provide a comprehensive directory of consumers based on data that is provided to it and make it available to all consumers. This must be updated annually. Consumers are entitled to one free listing in the directory and directory enquiry services.

Please see below the options for listings in the NDD

Unsolicited Contacts:

What if I don’t want to receive marketing calls?

If you have a fixed-line (landline) phone and you do not want direct marketing companies to call you, you should contact your service provider. If you do not object to receiving calls from companies wanting to sell you goods or services, you do not need to do anything.

All telephone users can register whether or not they want to receive ‘cold calls’/‘unsolicited calls’ to their phone

‘Cold calling’ is when a company calls you, without getting your permission, so they can try to sell you goods or services. An ‘unsolicited call’ means a call that is not requested by the person who receives the call. This is sometimes called ‘direct marketing’. It is easy and free of charge to make your preference known. You just need to contact your phone provider. The regulatory requirements in this area refer to direct marketing calls only, so if a company contacts you to ask you to take part in a survey, for example, this is not prohibited.

How does the process work?

All phone numbers contained in public phone books or available through directory enquiries are held in a central record known as the ‘National Directory Database’ (NDD).

When you contact your phone provider to tell them you do not want to receive direct marketing calls, they will make sure that this is recorded in the NDD. The NDD also maintains the ’do not call’ direct marketing register.  It will do this promptly, but if there are a large number of similar requests, it make take up to five working days.

Direct marketing companies are required to purchase a copy of the NDD to see which phone numbers do not want to receive ‘cold calls’ and make sure that they do not call them . However, it can take up to 28 days after the information is recorded in the NDD for marketers to access the opt-out listing. This depends on how often they update their own listings.

Fixed line/land line users

If you have a fixed-line (landline) phone and you do not want direct marketing companies to call you, you should contact the service provider you rent the land line from.

If your telephone line is ex-directory, you do not need to contact your phone company – your number should be automatically recorded as not wanting to receive direct marketing calls.

What can you do if you receive marketing calls against your wishes?

Not all marketing calls fall into the category of ‘unsolicited calls’ or a ‘cold call’.  A business may contact you for marketing purposes if you are or recently were a customer.  It can do this even if your number is included in the opt-out listing, unless you tell them that you do not want them to phone you. You might also receive a marketing call if you provide phone details to a company, for example by entering a competition, redeeming coupons or requesting a brochure. If you do not want it to phone you, say that when you give your details.

If you get an unwanted marketing call from a business that you have had no prior dealings with, or to which you have not provided contact details, tell the caller you do not want to be contacted by that company again.

If you get the call more than 28 days after your details have been recorded in the opt-out register of the NDD, or after you have told the company in question not to contact you again, you may wish to complain to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner. This office can investigate and prosecute the company if necessary.

Information for Direct Marketers

Direct Marketing companies who wish to gain access to the National Directory Database (NDD) should be directed to eir wholesale. The license agreement and application form are available on Eir’s Wholesale’s website.

How can I complain?

If you get a sales call more than 28 days after your details have been recorded in the opt-out register of the NDD, or after you have told the company in question not to contact you again, you may wish to complain to the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC). It can investigate and prosecute the company if necessary. Click here for the ODPC Complaint Form.