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Do Not Call Registry (DNCR)

In effect from September 2022

Introducing DNCR, The Nationwide Registry

Initiated to ensure a secure communications ecosystem

In compliance with the regulatory framework, the Do Not Call Registry (DNCR) is in effect from September 2022. This feature is designed to protect customers from unsolicited telemarketing, spam, or malicious calls to ensure a safer communications environment.

Building an active DNCR in place equals ensuring that all telemarketers looking to contact customers must obtain the adequate and necessary consent from each customer, or else it’s within their right to file a complaint.

How does it work?

All telemarketers are advised to get consent from individuals to make promotional calls. They are advised not to make calls to the phone numbers listed in the DNCR Directory unless they have the prior consent of a customer to do so.

Please be informed that phone numbers breaching this guidance will have their numbers revoked and further reported to the concerned authorities.

Frequently Asked Questions for Telemarketers

The Do Not Call Registry (DNCR) is a controlled platform governing and protecting individuals from unsolicited or malicious calls. This platform comprises a list of telephone numbers of individuals who do not wish to receive promotional telemarketing or spam calls. This has come into effect to create a safer communications environment..

Consent is associated with the explicit approval of a Subscriber or customer to receive promotional, sales or telemarketing calls.

If you have received explicit consent from an individual to be contacted, you may continue to call them

Before making any promotional calls to such individuals, an organisation is now expected to cross-check and verify that the telephone number is not registered with DNCR.

With effect from September 2022, organisations must continually check the Registry to ensure that the numbers they make promotional telemarketing calls to, are not listed in DNCR. To check the list, please log in to Business Online Portal, navigate to the 'Settings' Tab, and click on the 'Promotional Calls Settings' icon to check the status.

For a step-by-step tutorial on how to verify the status of numbers listed under DNCR, click here.

Organisations can create an account and check numbers under DNCR by logging in to the Business Online Portal and navigating under the ‘Settings’ Tab. You will not be charged for accessing the DNCR list.

Absolutely. It falls under the responsibility of a telemarketer to abide by the rules and regulations of the regulatory framework in the U.A.E

Phone numbers breaching this guidance will have their telecom services revoked and further reported to the concerned authorities.

Yes, we strongly advise all telemarketers to develop a systematic promotional call consent management system to obtain consent from the customers they wish to contact. To achieve this, we recommend establishing a method that gathers relevant customer "opt-ins," which simply means that the default setting for consent on promotions should not be "yes." All forms of consent are acceptable as long as they can be saved and presented in a tangible form when necessary. Furthermore, this system should also provision for customers to withdraw their consent at any time.

DNCR is an active platform in compliance with the regulatory framework to protect customers from Spam Calls. This also ensures that you do not receive any promotional calls unless requested outside of business hours, being 09:00 AM – 18:00 PM.

You may register your mobile number within DNCR to disable/block calls from businesses. However, should you still continue to get contacted by telemarketers, you may raise a complaint against the specific business.

Frequently Asked Questions for Individuals

A) If you do not wish to receive telemarketing promotional calls from businesses, you may register your phone numbers in DNCR. This applies to home, business, and mobile phone numbers.

Please note that registration is free and does not expire.

A) Simple. To block calls, send an SMS to 1012 with 'DNCR’ for your number to be added to the DNCR Registry.

A) To unblock calls, please SMS ‘UDNCR’ to 1012. Similarly, you may send an SMS to 1012 with ‘Check IDNCR’ to inquire about your number’s status.

A) Your registration will never expire. We will only remove your number from the Registry if it's deactivated and reassigned or if you have specifically asked to remove it.

A) Once registered, your number is immediately updated in the Registry. You should stop receiving unsolicited promotional calls soon.

A) No. The Do Not Call Registry solely prevents all unsolicited sales/promotional calls by sharing a list that tells telemarketers what numbers not to call. We cannot stop or block calls from businesses that choose to ignore it; however, if such an incident should arise, you may raise a complaint by calling 101 for Consumer or 800 5800 for Business, following which necessary actions will be taken.

A) Yes, if you have done business with companies recently, and have consented for them to contact you with news, updates, or promotions. However, if you wish for them to stop, please inform the respective company directly to withdraw your consent

A) If you have registered your number in DNCR and have not provided your consent to the respective telemarketer and yet you are receiving unsolicited promotional calls, you may raise a complaint by clicking here or by calling Customer Care at 101 for personal numbers or 800 5800 for business numbers, following which necessary actions will be taken.

A) You may receive telemarketing calls from selected organisations if you have provided them with explicit consent to contact you for such purposes, even if you have registered your number within DNCR.

A) The process for blocking a number may differ depending on the type of device, i.e. Apple, Samsung, Huawei, etc., but the option to block calls from the device itself is available in each. Apple users can simply go to their phone settings and choose to Silence Unknown Callers or update a number under Blocked Contacts that they do not want to receive calls from. Similarly, Android users have the option of using Call Screen or Smart Call, to screen calls from individuals who are not in their contacts. For further information, please refer to the table below.