Silent call 'culprit' invests to comply with Ofcom rules

LONDON - Bracken Bay Kitchens, one of the companies accused by telecoms regulator Ofcom of breaking rules on silent calls, has installed a new automated dialling system to remedy the problem.

Bracken Bay, a kitchen supplier, admits to using a system that did not comply with regulations set by Ofcom and the Telephone Preference Service.

It claims it has decommissioned that system at a cost of £140,000 and purchased a new, compliant system from Amcat at a cost of £200,000.

The new system keeps silent call volumes below 3% and also plays a recorded message identifying the caller in the case of a silent call.

In addition, Bracken Bay has ensured it does not call TPS-registered numbers by implementing a screening system supplied by UKDataID.

The company was identified by Ofcom as one of four that repeatedly exceeded the 3% upper limit for silent calls as the proportion of total calls in any 24-hour period between April and July. The other three are Carphone Warehouse, Toucan Telecom and Space Kitchens.

Ofcom has allowed each of the four companies until December 6 to respond, after which it will consider what action is appropriate. It may impose a fine and the maximum amount possible is £50,000 a call.

John Fleming, managing director of Bracken Bay Kitchens, said: "On hearing that the procedures we had in place did not comply with Ofcom's regulations we took immediate steps to rectify this."

If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .