Do Not Call list about to expire

10 million phone numbers were registered within four days of the list's opening on June 27, 2003.

30 million numbers were signed up within 40 days.

63 million were registered in the list's first year.

Currently, 149 million phone numbers are on the federal Do Not Call list.

Act now? Not so fast
I recently renewed the registration of all our phone numbers at the DoNotCall.gov Web site, but then I spoke to FTC spokesman Mitch Katz, who recommends waiting until next summer.

He made a good point: By renewing now, you shave at least a year off the protection time you'd otherwise get. If you were one of the early sign-ups, as I was, you'd get protection until summer 2013 if you renew in 2008, when the current five-year period expires. By renewing this year, I'd be protected only until 2012.

Then again, you might not care, particularly if the penalty for forgetting to renew is having to talk to some jerk about time shares. So either go re-register now at DoNotCall.gov or at least check the site to see when your registration expires and make a note on your calendar to renew then.