It never fails. I sit down for dinner with my family, and ZZzzzttt goes my pager / smartphone. Trying not to look rude, I steal a peek at it while my partner glares at me, and … It’s an email from an IP relay agent, leaving a message on my personal relay number. But there’s nothing in the message — it’s a hang-up from yet another telemarketer.

Makes me wonder how many other deaf folks have been getting the same hang-up messages via their personal relay numbers, like those from My IP-Relay Number or i711’s Call Me Number. Through these services, you can get your own phone number which hearing callers can then call and be connected directly to your preferred instant messaging account or even your videophone via VRS. No need for hearing callers to memorize two different numbers (one for the relay service, as well as your phone number) — much easier for resumes, pizza delivery, and forms.

I’ve been getting several telemarketer phone calls (especially from area code 801 — apparently from “Western Watts”) on my personal relay number each day. But only recently did I realize I hadn’t registered my personal relay number with the National Do Not Call Registry (DoNotCall.gov).

As you may know, the National Do Not Call Registry is a relatively new service by the U.S. government. Telemarketers are required to check the numbers on the Registry every several months (I think every three months), and they are prohibited from calling phone numbers on this Registry. If telemarketers do call registered numbers, they can be fined. People who register their phone numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry WILL see a dramatic decrease in the volume of telemarketer calls within several months. Lifesaver, especially around dinner time (and does wonders for domestic harmony too)!

Most people register their home, work, and fax numbers. Yet, many people do not think to register their mobile numbers (including Blackberries, Treos, or Sidekicks). I finally registered my Palm Treo’s mobile phone number a short while ago. But I totally forgot to register my personal relay number as well till a couple days ago, after a few telemarketer calls. That makes me think of all the wasted minutes that relay agents undergo, taking these telemarketer calls and relaying messages to me — even when they’re just hang-ups. Multiply this by the surely hundreds or even thousands (or tens of thousands?) of other personal relay number customers, and we’ve got one massive-sized waste of relay agent time. It gets even worse and expensive when Video Relay interpreters’ times are eaten up.

If you haven’t registered your personal relay number with the National Do Not Call Registry, please do that now. While you’re at it, you may want to register your Sidekick / Blackberry / Treo / smartphone mobile numbers, your home / fax numbers, and any other numbers you haven’t registered yet. And don’t forget to respond to the confirmation email for EACH phone number, or else the registration will not be completed. Even after you register, I don’t think it’d completely block all telemarketer calls for up to three months. But they’ll stop, eventually, and be blocked for five blissful years.

So, register your personal relay number(s) now, before you start to get these calls as well. And your relay agent / interpreter (and your spouse / partner as well) will thank you.