Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!bu.edu!telecom-request!
From: mailrus!uflorida!rm1!bapat@uunet.uu.net (Subodh Bapat)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Home-Grown Anti-Caller-ID Scheme
Message-ID: <61552@bu.edu.bu.edu>
Date: 28 Jul 90 01:36:06 GMT
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Organization: TELECOM Digest
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 524, Message 4 of 6


Okay, after some discussion among friends we've hit upon a two-line
method of beating Caller ID. This is for people who don't want to be
harassed by telemarketing calls driven off Caller ID-generated
databases. (And again, this is NOT intended to be a debate about
merits/demerits of Caller ID and related public policy, but merely a
hacker's response to it.)

- Get two lines coming into your home. Designate one your "public" line
  and the other your "private" line. The private line is unlisted, the
  public line may be listed. 

- When you need to give out a number to any commercial organization
  (e.g. while writing a check) give out your public number.
  Disclose your private number only at your discretion (e.g. friends,
  relatives).

- Get a two-line answering machine (or two one-line answering machines) 
  and two one-line telephones. Set the telephone on your public line NEVER
  to ring, i.e. telemarketing calls will always be fielded by
  your answering machine. You therefore only pick up on calls received
  on your private line.

- All outgoing calls are made ONLY on the public line. So now you don't
  care if "they" know what number you're calling from, since you're never
  going to answer when they call back. At the same time, friends/relatives
  can reach you in an emergency on your private line. And that long-lost
  college buddy who looks you up through information and calls your public
  number won't get you the first time, but if he leaves a message you can
  always get back to him.

Anybody spot any flaws in the above scenario? Anybody wanna try to go
one better? We were trying to work out a similar scheme with just one
line with two numbers mapped to a distinctive ringing service, but
couldn't quite hack it.

We'd be interested in any cost-saving improvements to the above scheme :-).


Subodh Bapat              bapat@rm1.uu.net     OR           ...uunet!rm1!bapat
MS E-204, PO Box 407044,  Racal-Milgo, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33340  (305) 846-6068


[Moderator's Note: This seems to me to be a lot of work and expense
merely to accomodate someone's paranoia about the possibility he may
have to listen to two seconds of some sales pitch. I have two lines
here, and various things going on, but it is because I need the second
line, not because I'm afraid the phone might ring and I have to hang
up on someone I don't want to listen to.  PT]