Electronics

[Seannie]

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum but my landline rings dozens of times daily with anonymous, toll-free, survey, etc. and my nerves are jangled.

Who else besides do not call list and my phone/internet/direct tv provider should I call to reduce these disruptions?

My suspicion (not sure since I don't answer) is that these are criminals/scam artists because I was told that only legitimate businesses get the do not call list.

TIA, Seannie

[deeva]

We get them too. The Do Not Call registery is useless. We don't answer calls from people we don't know. I don't know of any way to reduce the number of calls other than not answering.

[2cockers1cat]

There is a service, free, called NOMOROBO that blocks many of these calls. There is the risk that a call you want to receive will be stopped. The Federal Trade Commission awarded the developer a $50,000 prize for the technology. It's not in my area yet, so I can't comment on it's usefulness. The dropdown menu on their website lists the phone carriers that make the service available.

[DoneTryin]

Some of those are robo-calls so there's not much you can do about it. Except it seems like I saw a link once, either here or somewhere else that had a place to go to stop those, too. I think it was nomorobo.com or something like that. You could probably Google it.

I absolutely do not pick up if I don't recognize the name or number. I have my phone programmed with a different ring tone for calls coming in from anyone I'll pick up for (family, friends, hairdresser, dr's ofc, etc).

Depending on what phone system you have, you might be able to block the calls by *60, then follow the prompts.

If you want to spend some $$, you can get a machine that blocks unwanted calls. I've seen them on Amazon.com.

Too bad we don't have an "ignore" button for those!

[Mz iMac]

I solved that problem by turning the ringer off my answering machine landline phone & doing the following...

My answering machine message is this: I SCREEN all calls. Leave a message if you want me to call you back.

I can't remember the last time I received a robo call. I am also on the "Do Not Call List."

Needless to say, all my fam & friends know that if they do not leave a message, as far as I am concerned, they never called!

[VaBelle35]

I bought a set of phones from Costco (Panasonic). It has a Caller Block feature. It rings once and then stops. What the caller hears on the other end is a fast busy signal, as if the number is no longer in service.

If the person on the other end is a live body, they will note that the number is out of service and you get taken off their lift.

If it is a computer calling, it doesn't know the fast busy signal, so it will keep calling.

This phone system was the best $120 I've ever spent. It has drastically cut down on the number of junk calls I get.

I even got rid of Verizon ;O)

[beckyb1012]

Did away with my landline about 5+ years ago and have not missed it. Cell phone so much better, when it is off it is off.

[sipp]

The thing is- a landline is still more reliable in a real catastrophe in the world we live in now- a cell phone is not going to get through when all the towers are flooded with calls. Unfortunately the landline is expensive to keep- and the phone companies don't like them because of the upkeep. They made it too expensive for seniors to afford them ( like $50 for just LOCAL calls!) Disgusting.

[chickenbutt]

I have some phones, probably very similar to those VaBelle has, and I like that 'block number' feature. After you have blocked one, the next time they call you it just rings once, as she said, and goes away.

The only negative is that it only holds 30 numbers so during heavy telemarketing seasons (read - during election cycles) I end up having to delete some so I can get new ones in there.

But it's better than nothing. I checked out the nomorobo deal and ATT doesn't have it here, either. Bummer, that.

It sure doesn't seem fair to me that I have to pay extra to have unlisted and private numbers, yet others can use my numbers at will. The robo calling thing should be against the law, or at least numbers that are unlisted and/or private should be precluded. I could see getting phone solicitations if I had my number in the phone book but if I pay extra to have it NOT published then I should be able to have more control. It's only right.

[Mz iMac]

On 8/27/2014 dgluvr said:

They made it too expensive for seniors to afford them ( like $50 for just LOCAL calls!) Disgusting.

64 & retired....

Not if they ask for the senior rate. Most landline companies have SENIOR landline DISCOUNTS which ARE NOT advertised.

Ask firmly & politely to speak w/a manager instead of going through the regular CR route. It's how I got mine w/Comcast & Verizon. The latter is my current carrier.

In the case of Verizon, I couldn't get anywhere w/the sales manager so I went through their headquarters to get my discount.

I pay $25/month which includes taxes, long distance & all the bells & whistles. International calls is extra. Also, depending on your income, it's even cheaper and/or FREE!

Personally I feel safer w/a landline because of it's reliability over cell phones as well as I can always reach my town's 911 dept if necessary.