I haven’t kept track, but someone just told me it has been five years since the Do Not Call registry was introduced. Registrations expire at the five-year point, so if you were an early adopter you might want to go back and re-register.

There’s also been a rumor going around that telemarketers are about to get a database of cellphone numbers. This site claims this is not true, as federal law prohibits using automated dialers (the telemarketing industry standard) to call cell phone numbers or any other phone number where the owner is charged for receiving the call. Thus, you do not have to register your mobile number with the Do Not Call registry. You can register it if you are ultra-paranoid. However, if you are among the most ultra-paranoid, registering it might concern you, since you would be broadcasting the existence of your mobile number, I suppose, much as we have all learned not to click on the ‘remove my email address’ link in a spam mail message.

Five of the six major cellular carriers (excluding Verizon) were supposed to be establishing an opt-in wireless 411 directory (Google Search ) in 2006. (Did this happen? I have Verizon service, so I would not have heard if customers were being invited to opt in.) This may be the source of the alarm that the telemarketers would be getting your mobile number.