July 17, 2004
Caller I.D.
Caller ID is one of the few services I can wax enthusiastic about. (with DSL and WirePro being the others.)
The telephone rings, I glance at the display -- "out of area" -- a call from an office that is not connected with CCS7 signaling (AKA tele-marketer). Ignore, the answering machine tells them "Leave a message" and they hang up. ...or....
The telephone rings, I glance at the display -- "private" -- the calling party has Calling Number Delivery Blocking (I do not want you to know who I am!) Okay. You don't trust me, why should I trust you? Ignore, the answering machine tells them "Leave a message." Clue: "Hello? Is Mike there?" is not a message. I do not answer such a call. A message consists of a name, call-back number, and a brief description of what you wish to talk about.
Addendum 2011 -- I.D. is still a good idea.
Posted by at July 17, 2004 02:18 PMI agree. My Mother-in-law has the private # thing going and she gets mad as ...... when I refuse to pick up the phone when she is screaming into the answering machine.
Posted by: Wingo at July 27, 2004 05:36 PM
Caller ID and Privacy Manager are a GODSEND.
You call, but your caller ID isn't coming through. I don't have to ignore the phone... instead Privacy Manager picks up, says "We're sorry, but we don't accept unidentified calls. Your caller ID was not received. Press 1 to leave a message, 2 to announce your call."
They leave their name and a brief note about the call, get put on hold. My phone rings. I hear their spiel and have an option of letting them talk, giving them the "we're busy, call back another time" brush off, or playing a very officious-sounding "we do not accept calls from marketing concerns - please add this number to your do-not-call list."
Now, if I could only keep my foster kid's teenage friends from calling the house at 11pm....