FCC Chariman Julius Genachowski (courtsy Creative Commons)

New rules require telemarketers to obtain written consent before placing “robocalls,” reports the Wall Street Journal. Telemarketers will have to obtain consent even from people they had done business with before.

"There are so many people who are just sick and tired of calls both to their cell phones but in particular to their landlines, and the new rule is going to prevent robocalls, automatic calls, going to your cell phone as well as your landline," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan told NBC.

The new rules do not apply to all types of calls. Calls for political reasons do not face these tougher rules.

The FCC’s new rules will also give customers the ability to stop future calls more quickly. Telemarketers will now have to provide an “opt out” mechanism during each call. Once a consumer revokes consent, the telemarketer must add the customer to a do-not-call list.

"Too many telemarketers … have continued to call consumers who don't want to hear from them," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski told the Wall Street Journal. "Consumers by the thousands have complained to us, letting us know that they remain unhappy with having their privacy invaded and their time wasted by these unwanted calls."

Reach executive producer Hannah Madans here.