SPGDCM@CMSA.BERKELEY.EDU.UUCP (09/29/87)
MSG:FROM: SPGDCM --UCBCMSA TO: NETWORK --NETWORK 09/28/87 18:23:18
To: NETWORK --NETWORK Network Address
From: Doug Mosher <SPGDCM at UCBCMSA>
MVS/Tandem Systems Manager (415)642-5823
Evans 257, Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
Subject: unlisted numbers
To: telecom@xx.lcs.mit.edu
A reader asks: what's the difference between an unlisted number (which costs)
and listing my number under a false name (for free)?
If you list under a false name, sales people will call that wrong name with
"offers". And perhaps a very few people who are looking in the wrong place.
The telco tells me that most sales calls are made from the "reverse", or
"address", directory, and one can de-list from THAT one for free.
Other sources of annoying calls:
others mis-dialing (basically unavoidable, but more fallout near numbers
popular with careless people; in some cases you may wish to change numbers to
"move away" from a hotspot.)
Your number may be mistakenly written on a wall, printed in a list, etc.
Diligent and patient questioning of the caller, not in an upset manner, may
reveal the source. My number was listed as the number for an unrelated
teacher, FOR YEARS, till I questioned carefully, traced, and had a change made
to the Oakland Teacher's Directory or whatever it was.
Random machine dialers will get you no matter what.
I always got upset arguing with sales and wrong callers. My most successful
stretegies now: wrong numbers: "what number are you calling?" If not my
number, "you have misdialed". If my number, "where did you get that number"?
(note any repeats here from other callers-- they are a clue)-- then, "I'm
sorry, someone has given you the wrong number." For sales calls: "I don't
accept this kind of call, thank you" followed by hanging up immediately.
The phone system should have used a check digit years ago; it's surely too
late for that now. The cultural trend is toward everyone using answering
machine screening, which is not choice. I think we may need new laws related
to the greatly increased use of sales calling, since anyone can now be subject
to frequent demand interruptions at home, and there is little apparently one
can do to avoid this.
unlisted numbers