[net.consumers] How to stop junk phone calls

wjm@whuxj.UUCP (MITCHELL) (05/07/84)

In re the circuit to turn off junk phone calls - the box is also available
commercially as the "Phone Censor" - I think DAK (among others) sells it.
One caveat, if you're going to use this type of box, your friends need true
tone phones, not the variety with buttons that put out dial pulses.  Contrary
to what earlier articles may have implied, dial pulses may not travel through
the telephone network past your local central office.  (This is why you need
a tone phone to get into MCI or Sprint, bank by phone, etc).
Bill Mitchell
Bell Communications Research, Inc.
Whippany, NJ  (whuxj!wjm)
Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions and not those of my employer.

ix21@sdccs6.UUCP (David Whiteman) (05/08/84)

Another idea if you happen to have a smartmodem and a home computer.
Is to have the computer ring a buzzer whenever someone calls, hangs
up, and calls again.  The modem is set not to autoanswer and it just
tells the idling computer when the phone rings.  It may not be the
most efficient way to stop junk calls, but if you happen to have a
system it works, and your friends don't need a touch tone phone.

-- David