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- Newsgroups: sci.electronics
- Path: sparky!uunet!krfiny!jeffj
- From: jeffj@krfiny.uucp (J. Jonas)
- Subject: Re: Caller ID
- Message-ID: <1992Jul24.154554.5743@krfiny.uucp>
- Organization: Jeff's house of computer pieces
- References: <BrLL2B.M8M@andy.bgsu.edu> <1992Jul20.170049.3206@krfiny.uucp> <1992Jul23.004400.9386@kd4dts.dixie.com>
- Distribution: na
- Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 15:45:54 GMT
- Lines: 63
-
- In article <1992Jul23.004400.9386@kd4dts.dixie.com> jcw@kd4dts.dixie.com
- (John C. Wren) writes:
-
- >Ya know, there is a simple solution to all this talk about Caller ID and
- >protecting your number. It costs a little bit, but it offers you several
- >services in the process.
- >1) Obtain Caller ID (optional)
- >2) Obtain Ring Master + Ring Master Controller
-
- There are many variations on the theme, depending on how much screening
- you need, who you intend to block, how much you want to spend.
-
- I don't get many calls, but I have 2 phone lines.
- One for me, the other for the computer.
- The second line is unlisted, and there's no fee for that since it's
- on the same account. All calls are on the same bill, even
- AT&T Reach Out plan covers both phones.
-
- If I wanted to be sneaky, I'd use the primary line for incoming calls,
- and use the (unlisted) secondary line for outgoing calls.
- That way, anybody calling the modem line gets only the carrier.
- That totally defeats people calling me using their caller-id or return call.
- They get a valid number, but it's never used for incoming calls.
-
- Right now, I have an answering machine on the second line
- telling the people that they were given a wrong number and to please
- stop calling. Apparently getting a carrier didn't stop them from calling
- back again and again. Some goofed up dating service has been giving out
- my unlisted data line as some gal's number.
-
- I wish to emphasize that some courtesy is needed.
- People honestly get wrong numbers and there's no sense in abusing them.
- I'll be polite for a the first few instances, but if I don't get any
- cooperation, then manners are discarded.
- When a college gave my primary number as that of a storage company,
- a little cooperation from one caller got me to the housing office and
- they corrected the list. End of problem.
- Politeness usually gets results.
-
- I agree that using
- - caller-id
- - multiple phone lines
- - multiple phone numbers on the same line (multi-ring/ring master...)
- all allow you to help identify the caller and prioritize your calls.
- Unless you are dealing with real jerks or someone who willing to
- expend a lot of time, effort and money, a slight deterrant is all that
- is necessary (such as saying "no").
-
- >I'm in the process of building a small microprocessor controller that contains
- >Caller ID circuitry.
-
- I too have been experimenting with my caller-id box.
- I can't say it's effective at this time because only in-state
- calls are identified. All out of state calls are simply "O"
- (out of area), as are many in-state calls too.
-
- - Jeffrey Jonas
- jeffj@synsys.uucp
- --
- --
- Jeffrey Jonas
-
- jeffj@synsys.uucp
-