If you have been receiving telemarketing and promotional calls from businesses, you can avoid them by registering your phone number in the Do Not Call Registry (DNCR).

Registering for the Do Not Call Registry is free and has no expiry. You can register your home, business and mobile number on this registry.

To block telemarketing and promotional calls, you can send an SMS to 1012 with 'DNCR’ for your number to be added to the DNCR Registry.

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.

You would not be required to update anything on the registry. Your number will be removed if it has been reassigned or if you have asked for its removal.

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Once registered, your number will be updated in the registry immediately. It will take about 30 days before telemarketeers avoid calling your number.

The registry cannot prevent unsolicited promotional calls, however, it will share a list of numbers with telemarketers telling them to avoid calling those numbers.

Businesses can choose to ignore this list, but, you can register a complaint against them by calling 101 for Consumer or 800 5800 for Business, following which necessary actions will be taken.

If you have given your consent while conducting business with them, they can contact you to provide you with updates and promotional content. You can withdraw your consent from them by informing the company directly, in such cases.

If you are receiving calls after 30 days of registering for DNCR and have not given the company explicit consent to contact you, you can register a complaint.

You may raise a complaint by calling Customer Care at 101 for personal numbers or 800 5800 for business numbers, following which necessary actions will be taken.

750 complaints against 'annoying' promotional calls

The Dubai Economy on October 13 had said it received 753 complaints against "annoying" promotional calls in the past five months.

Residents have started filing such complaints since the regulator's Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection (CCCP) department launched the “Do Not Disturb” smart service launched by the department earlier this year.

The initiative was aimed at protecting the public from unwanted promotional calls made by businesses or third-party marketing agencies.