Yesterday the FCC delayed the effective date on the expiration of the existing business relationship exemption until January 1, 2005. Here is the link to the order:

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-03-208A1.pdf

Thanks for posting this update. This is good news...hopefully during the next year the FCC will be persuaded to reconsider the signed permission requirement.

Thanks for this post. We faxed out the "consent forms" yesterday! Now we can still send out our rate sheets etc., even if they don't return the form to us. I too, hope they reconsider this prior to the new deadline!

I would not be too hopeful of the FCC doing anything. Their original rationale for rescinding the Existing Business Relationship (EBR) exemption to the existing fax ban was that it was not supported by the statute. The view of the Commission was that continuance of the EBR exemption was dependent on further statutory action by Congress.

So write your Congressman today!

Here's the article that appeared in the 8/19/03 edition of USA TODAY: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2003-08-18-faxspam_x.htm

That article was where I learned of the postponement. They scooped the BOL staff on that one!