It has given its members three months to comply with the new code, which it has implemented after conducting research.
The research confirmed widespread dislike of silent calls among the public, with 37% of respondents saying they are unacceptably inconvenienced by silent calls and 22% feel anxious when they receive such a call.
Of those respondents who had registered with the Telephone Preference Service, the proportion who said they were unacceptably inconvenienced rose to 64%.
The new code specifies that telemarketers must use Caller Line Identity, which displays the number they are calling from, and must register that number on a database to be set up by the DMA.
If consumers call the number back, they can not be charged, and they must be given the name of the company that made the call, or the company on behalf of which the call was made.
The code also commits telemarketers to have documented procedures for handling consumers' requests not to be called.
A DMA spokeswoman said that the association was going to work with telecoms and media regulator Ofcom, which recently threatened Kitchens Direct with a fine for making excessive silent calls.
"Ofcom has welcomed this original research and will be working with the DMA on joint initiatives on this issue," she said.
The research report, produced by Brookmead Consulting, was commissioned by the DMA and the TPS to inform a review of the DMA's code of practice.
The report mentions that in the past 12 months the number of weekly Telephone Preference Service registrations has increased from 35,000 to 73,000.
Pic: Getty Images
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