EasyCheck TPS & CTPS Checker

The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is a list of consumers, including sole traders and partnerships (except in Scotland), who have registered their preference not to receive unsolicited direct marketing calls. It is a legal requirement for companies to avoid making such calls to numbers listed on the TPS. The original legislation was introduced in May 1999 and has since been updated. The relevant legislation now falls under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. Companies reported for breaching this regulation are included in a monthly report sent to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the body responsible for enforcement.

The Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) was introduced following the publication by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) (Amendment) Regulations 2004. These regulations came into force on 25 June 2004 and amended the existing Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.

The CTPS makes it unlawful for businesses (including charities and other voluntary organisations) to make unsolicited sales and marketing calls to a corporate subscriber’s telephone number if that number has either been directly opted out by the business or organisation, or if it is registered on the Corporate TPS. Corporate subscribers can register their numbers to indicate that they do not wish to receive such calls from any business or organisation.

Any business, including charities and voluntary organisations, that makes direct marketing telephone calls to individuals must comply with TPS regulations. This applies to both ‘cold’ lists and customer lists, which should be checked against the Telephone Preference Service register before making any calls, to ensure compliance with the regulations. In addition, businesses should also check these lists against their own in-house “do not call” registers.

There is one exception: if individuals have already indicated to the business or organisation that they do not object to receiving direct marketing telephone calls, then these calls may be made.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is responsible for enforcing the regulations. While the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) investigates initial complaints from individuals whose registration has not prevented an unsolicited call, the ICO determines any action for breaches of the regulations.

The Telephone Preference Service Ltd, which manages the TPS register, is a subsidiary of the Direct Marketing Association (UK) Ltd. OFCOM has appointed this organisation to oversee the opt-out registers.

Selectabase offers a fast, reliable, and fully compliant solution for checking your numbers against the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) registers. With over 20 years of experience, Selectabase is trusted for its high-quality service, ensuring your telemarketing efforts remain GDPR and PECR compliant.

Key benefits include:

• Instant screening of individual numbers or full lists, whether using our web checker, free Windows PC app, or integrated API.
• Daily updates from official TPS, CTPS, and MPS registers, ensuring you always have the most current information.
• Proven track record: Selectabase has been a licensed TPS supplier since 1999, providing a full audit trail to prove numbers checked.
• Flexible payment options: Pay as you go or choose a monthly plan that suits your needs, making it cost-effective for both small and large businesses.
• Secure: Your data stays with you, as EasyCheck performs screening without sending your valuable information elsewhere.

With Selectabase, you can stay ahead of compliance issues, reduce the risk of fines, and confidently connect with your target audience.

The cost of TPS checking with Selectabase depends on your needs, offering flexible pricing options to suit both small and large businesses. You can choose between pay-as-you-go credits for ad-hoc checks or monthly subscriptions for regular checking.

For a detailed breakdown of prices, visit our pricing page where you can get a customised quote based on your specific requirements.

To start using the TPS checking service, simply follow these steps:

1. Create a free account: Visit the Selectabase website and sign up for a free account. You’ll receive 50 free checks to get started.
2. Choose your preferred method: You can screen numbers using our Online Checker, the free Windows PC app, or by integrating with your systems via our API.
3. Top up credits or subscribe: Select a pay-as-you-go option or choose a monthly subscription based on your needs. This allows you to check a single number or large lists instantly.
4. Start screening: Once your account is set up and credits are loaded, you can immediately begin screening numbers against the TPS and CTPS registers.

For more information or to sign up, visit Selectabase TPS Service.

With Selectabase’s EasyCheck TPS & CTPS service, you can check numbers one by one or in bulk. For bulk checking, you can screen up to 50,000 numbers at a time. This can be done through the Online Checker, the free Windows PC app, or via the API.

You only get charged for 1 check that looks like a telephone number (i.e. contains at least 10 digits) and per register checked. Empty rows, records too short and non numerical characters are ignored.

Choose from the options below. Once registered and with an allowance of checks, all tools are available for you to use:

• Online Checker – Enter individual numbers or paste a list of up to 50,000 numbers at a time into the batch screen. Submit your list, and the results will be displayed in seconds.
• Downloaded PC App Software – Download the free EasyCheck software to screen full CSV and XLS files directly within Excel. No contracts or commitments—start with 50 free credits when you download the app.
• Advanced TPS Solutions (API) – For integrating TPS and CTPS checking into your internal systems, we recommend using our EasyCheck API (Application Programming Interface). Click here to download our API documentation.
• Managed Service – Prefer to release your list of numbers to us? Simply send your CSV or XLS file (other formats available on request) securely via our File Transfer facility. We will screen your list, flagging any records that match TPS/CTPS, and return it securely. Speak to a team member to authorise access to the File Transfer facility.

If you’re unsure which service best suits your needs, contact our team of experienced customer service advisers during office hours on 01304 383838.

You should check telephone numbers against the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) registers every time before you make a marketing or sales call. This is crucial because the TPS and CTPS registers are updated regularly, and a number that was not on the list previously may now be registered.

Additionally, regulations such as GDPR and PECR require companies to ensure that they do not contact numbers listed on the TPS or CTPS registers without consent. Regular checking helps ensure compliance and avoid potential fines or legal action.

For ongoing marketing campaigns, it’s recommended to check numbers at least every 28 days to ensure you are working with the most up-to-date data.

Selectabase includes checks against the TPS (Telephone Preference Service) and CTPS (Corporate Telephone Preference Service), which are the only official “do not call” registers in the UK. There are various other organisations claiming to stop unsolicited calls through registration with their services, but these may be commercial companies charging a fee or, in some cases, fraudulent. The TPS is not affiliated with any of these organisations, and Selectabase only uses the official TPS and CTPS registers to ensure accurate and legal compliance.

Before screening numbers against TPS and CTPS, we perform a pre-clean operation. This process removes any non-numerical or special characters, spaces, dialling prefixes (such as +44, 0044), and leading zeros. We then check only the first 10 significant digits against the registers. For example, if you enter “+44(0)1304-383838 dial ext. 555 and ask for Dave,” only the number “1304383838” will be screened.

Genuine market research calls are not classified as direct marketing and do not need to be checked against the TPS. These calls are typically for gathering information or opinions, whereas direct marketing calls aim to sell or promote a product or service. The Telephone Preference Service (TPS) exists to reduce live direct marketing calls, but it does not block calls from organisations conducting legitimate research.

However, you cannot disguise a sales or marketing call as market research! All sales and marketing calls must be checked against TPS before calling.

The Market Research Society (MRS) has a code of conduct that all members must adhere to. Their details are:

Market Research Society (MRS)
15 Northburgh Street, London
EC1V 0JR
Tel: 020 7490 4911
Fax: 020 7490 0608
Web: www.mrs.org.uk

To order more checks, simply log in to your Selectabase account and top up your balance. You can choose between pay-as-you-go credits for occasional checks or subscribe to a monthly plan if you require ongoing screening. Bulk-buying credits can save you money with tiered pricing, and all purchased credits are valid for up to 12 months.

Visit the pricing page on the Selectabase website for more details and to select the plan that best suits your needs. If you need further assistance, the customer service team is available to help.

Selectabase offers a variety of payment methods to make ordering more checks easy and flexible. You can pay using a credit or debit card for both pay-as-you-go credits and monthly subscriptions. Additionally, if you prefer to use a bank transfer, this can be arranged by contacting the Selectabase customer service team directly.

Yes, for data compliance purposes, your screening history is available within your Selectabase account.

Simply log in to your account and click on ‘Your screening history’. You can download a CSV file titled ‘Certificate of Audit TPS Check’ by day for any screening performed within the last 28 days. If you need details of your screening history older than 28 days, please contact us directly. Offline, we store your screening history for up to 12 months.

The CSV file includes the following information:

• Date of screening
• Screening type (TPS, CTPS, or both)
• Number submitted
• Result returned
• Interface used (web, app, or API)

Before screening telephone numbers, we perform a pre-clean operation to remove non-numerical characters, spaces, dialling prefixes (+44, 0044), and leading zeros. Only the first 10 significant digits are used. For example, if you submit “+44(0)1304-383838 dial ext. 555 and ask for Dave”, it will be checked as “1304383838”.

If you need your screening history for MPS checking addresses, please contact us offline.

Yes.

To ensure the highest level of security when submitting numbers for screening, every online transaction is encrypted using 256-bit encryption (SHA256withRSA with a 4096-bit key). This encryption helps protect against potential risks associated with the provision of personal data.

A secure communications link, known as Secure Socket Layer (SSL), encrypts all information exchanged between your browser or application and the EasyCheck service. You can verify SSL protection by looking for “HTTPS://” at the beginning of the web address, indicating that the page is secure.

If you have any questions or need assistance with EasyCheck, you can speak to the Selectabase customer service team. They are available during office hours to provide guidance and support.

You can reach them by phone at 01304 383838, or request a call back.