Let’s clear this up – here is the circulating email:

JUST A REMINDER 31 days from today, cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS. These Telemarketers will eat up your free minutes and end up costing you money in the long run. To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five (5) years.

Now:

1) There is no deadline – you can call for your regular or cell phone anytime you like. The number is correct, but you can register your numbers or verify online.

2) You can register your phone numbers for free, and it will remain on the national do-not-call list for five years. You may re-enter your number on the list when the five years have passed, and you may remove your number from the list at any time.

3) The Do-Not-Call registry does not prevent all unwanted calls. It does not cover calls from organizations with which you have established a business relationship, calls for which you have given prior written permission, calls which are not commercial or do not include unsolicited advertisements, or calls by or on behalf of tax-exempt non-profit organizations In other words, you’ll still hear from political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors, and your creditors. It also doesn’t cover business-to-business calls.

4) Wireless phone providers (except Verizon) have announced their intention to establish a 411 directory of customers’ cell phone numbers beginning in 2006, but they claim it is not true that they plan to “publish” said directory for any and all to read. Participating companies say the numbers will be made available only via telephone to users who dial directory assistance and pay a fee, and only with customer consent. The companies swear the numbers will never be accessible to telemarketers. In fact, per FCC regulations, telemarketers are already prohibited from calling cell phone numbers using automated dialers, which are standard in the industry.

5) Your number has to have been registered for 31 days before you can file a complaint. You have to have in hand the date you got the call, and either the name or telephone number of the company that called you. If you can, try to get a name or extension number or any other information to document the call.

More information:

Do Not Call Registry Media Center
FTC: National Do Not Call Registry Accepts Both Cell Phone and Home Phone Numbers

About.com Urban Legends has collected additional resources if you’d like to know more.