Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!netsys!vector!nobody From: gdelong@cvman.UUCP (Gary Delong) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Nuisance phone calls Message-ID: Date: 31 Jan 89 16:16:06 GMT Sender: chip@vector.UUCP Lines: 47 Approved: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-Submissions-To: telecom@bu-cs.bu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.uucp X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 47, message 3 In article , glee@cognos.uucp (Godfrey Lee) writes: > >>I believe the time has come to do something about nuisance phone calls. > >I found after I installed an answering machine, that junk callers > >usually hang up when they realize they got an answering > >machine. > > Problem is that there are more and more automated phone solicitations. With > these you don't get the satisfaction of hanging up on them, and if you have > an answering machine, you get junk filling up your tape! > > I do sense some consumer rebellion on this though, I got a few of them about > a year ago, but lately have gotten none, what is the situation in the rest > of Canada and in the U.S.? I too think it's time to do something about unsolicited calls from both machines and humans. I firmly believe that "blind calls" should be prohibited. How about a statute that would prohibit anyone from using the phone to solicit business, contributions, or any other support from anyone unless the person or organization being called was either a) presently doing business with the caller or b) had shown positive interest in the caller's organization within the last six months. I know that this is really very wishfull thinking, but wouldn't it be nice? Presently I respond to automated solicitations in one of two ways. 1) Since most of the machines use a VOX to control the recording of the victim's responses, I let them listen to a local radio talk show until their system times out. 2) I leave EXTREMLY obscene messages for whoever gets to transcribe the victim's responses for followup. Such messages usually suggest unique things that they might attempt with their automated equipment. I've even thought about renting some of this equipment and having it call all the state legislators' work and home numbers repetitively until they get the message. Any other ideas? -- _____ / \ / Gary A. Delong, N1BIP gdelong@cvman.prime.com | \ / COMPUTERVISION Division {sun|linus}!cvbnet!gdelong \____\/ Prime Computer, Inc. (603) 622-1260 x 261