An option (sort of) for folks while the "no-call" list is tied up in court

[bluestateguy]

This is the Direct Marketing Association's no call list. You have to contact them in writing. Of course, not all telemarketers belong to the DMA or subscribe to the list, but it should reduce the calls you receive.


Telephone Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
PO Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014.

[SoCalDem]

1. I just never answer the phone...OR play the messages

If I am home and I hear someone talking on the machine, and I feel like talking to them, I pick up the phone :)

[ima_sinnic]

2. I'm pretty much the same way

Caller ID is essential.
Sometimes I turn off the ringer AND the answering machine. Then I don't know when anybody is calling me and can't even hear someone talking on the machine.

[SoCalDem]

4. I'm so cheap, I don't even have caller id

:)

[Maine Mary]

3. Alot of States already have their own Do Not Call List

I sat on Maine's State Legislative Utilities Comm the year we enacted it; in 99.

Ironically I'm a telemarketer too but don't think the Federal list will hurt us as much as is being predicted. I could be wrong but...

[arwalden]

5. READ THIS: I Keep Recommending This To Everyone...

I'm not sure if every telephone service provider offers this service, but Verizon offers a "Do Not Disturb" option for about $3 per month.

HOW IT WORKS: When it's activated, all callers will hear a pre-recorded message telling them that you don't want to be disturbed, or that you're not accepting calls. At any time during or after the message the caller can enter the digits to your passcode PIN and cause your phone to ring.

Without knowing the PIN, the caller is either disconnected or transferred to your voicemail. Your choice.

The service can be turned on or off at will. Or you can schedule it to come on at a certain time of the day and to turn itself off automatically.

You can pre-program the service with 15 numbers that will automatically ring-through without having to enter the PIN bypass code.

I CAN'T SPEAK HIGHLY ENOUGH FOR THIS GREAT FEATURE!! I now have CONTROL over my telephone again!!!!

Those who need to reach me, know my PIN. Those who don't have my PIN may leave a message.

Telemarketers have NEVER bothered to leave a message. Most telemarketers are auto-dialed anyway... so I'm guessing that the auto-dial computer rarely connects a live operator to my number.

-- Allen

P.S. Verizon also has a different service where all calls that Caller ID sees as "unknown" or "private" are diverted to a pre-recorded message that requires them to speak their name so that it can be recorded and played back to the phone customer.

When the customer hears the message, they can choose to accept the call or they can press a number to play one of several messages to the caller... such as: "the person you are calling does not accept sales calls. Please put this number on your do-not-call list." or "the person you are calling does not want to be disturbed right now", etc.

It's a shame that we have to pay more for total control of our phone... but for me it's worth it.

[izzie]

6. I once took my name off list because...

Every night I got about 3 to 5 calls but no one was there, Now I just do not ans, or hang up. Frankly I find them a pest but I just do not care if they do it. I lived alone in the country and did not like the endless no one there phone calls. I felt they were maybe checking me out to see if I was home.I did have numbers traced and all but this is what phone co. told me to do.Now I live near people so I am not up tight about it.

[arwalden]

7. That's An Auto-Dialer Computer. Many Numbers Are Dialed Simultaneously ...

... but only a certain number of the dialed numbers are automatically connected to a waiting telemarketer.

The software "listens" for a live voice and connects you to the first available telemarketer. (This explains the brief silence you often experience. You know... "Hello?" (pause...click...) "May I speak to the lady of the house?"

When you hear TOTAL SILENCE, it means that you didn't answer the phone quickly enough. The other suckers who picked up right away were the first ones to be connected to the available operators... you got stuck in the ether.

-- Allen

P.S. I've also heard a theory that computerized dialing programs will "pre-dial" numbers to test them for validity. If the software doesn't detect a "bee-Bee-BEEP The number you have dialed..." recording, then it adds that number to a list to be dialed (and re-dialed) later on.

Sounds logical, but I don't know if it's true.