Associated Press <http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB106130777912809100,00.html?mod=dart
Techtoday

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Communications Commission has delayed until 2005 a new rule requiring companies to obtain written permission before sending unsolicited faxes. [PDF FCC news release here, and PDF FCC order here.]

The new regulations originally were to take effect next Monday, but the commission earlier this week agreed to delay the starting date to Jan. 1, 2005. The FCC said the delay will give businesses more time to get signed approval forms from people to whom they want to send faxes, and will provide more time for the commission to respond to requests to reconsider the new rules.

Under current regulations, entities don't have to obtain written permission to fax unsolicited advertisements to individuals and companies that they already do business with. Such entities cannot fax unsolicited advertisements to anyone that they don't have a business relationship with, unless they first receive permission to do so.

The new fax rules were approved at the same time as the do-not-call list, which takes effect Oct. 1. More than 30 million Americans have signed the registry for blocking unsolicited telephone sales pitches.