Federal Regulators Offer Potential Shield to Unwanted Telemarketers.

Byline: Christopher Boyd

Dec. 19--Federal regulators offered a potential shield Wednesday against the barrage of unwanted telemarketing calls that nightly disrupts millions of dinners and awakens weary workers from an early evening doze.

The Federal Trade Commission issued rules that likely will lead to a national "do-not-call" list next year. Consumers would be able to join a national no-sales-call registry that would give them a five-year reprieve from unsolicited telephone pitches.

New rules also would require telemarketers to transmit identifying information that could be viewed by services such as Caller ID and would limit the number of so-called "abandoned" calls that hang up and leave people listening to dead air.

The commission is catching up with at least 27 states, including Florida, that maintain a do-not-call list or have pending legislation …