OT - Fun with telemarketers

[sms]

I thought that too. Why bother? But the toll-free numbers are very cheap for businesses.

[DerbyDad03]

But according to the link that you snipped, there are now "regular" phone number services that offer all of the same features that toll free numbers do for businesses, but at a lower price.

Did you you read the article?

[Stormin Mormon]

Oh, I'm sure those telemarketers rolled their eyes after your call.

[Stormin Mormon]

Yeah, but do you get telemarketers?

[Stormin Mormon]

What did you do with your last telemarketer?

[Stormin Mormon]

What fun do you have with them?

[Stormin Mormon]

Yep, all about having fun with telemarketers.

[Andy]

Telemarketers are like German cockroaches.

You can never get rid of them completely.

Andy

[Stormin Mormon]

Javoe, mein herr.

[sms]

Yes. And it leaves something very critical out.

With toll-free numbers, the caller cannot block Caller ID. Toll free numbers use a different system, called ANI which sees the callers number no matter what. I think I read that in California, more than 50% of landlines have Caller ID blocking turned on all the time, so ANI is very useful for businesses.

There are ways to have ANI display a different number by using Google Voice. Too long to explain here.

There is also a way to use ANI to find out who is calling from blocked numbers, though if they know the tricks with Google Voice that doesn't work. It's not a free service . It basically forwards calls to their toll free number so the Caller ID is displayed, then calls your number back with the Caller ID intact.

[DerbyDad03]

I'm not seeing your point as it relates to the question "Why are there still toll free numbers?"

Please clarify.

[sms]

Businesses want to know who is calling them. The only way to do this is with a toll free number where Caller ID cannot easily be blocked.

It does make things easier for the caller and the business in many cases. i.e. "we see you're calling from a phone in your profile...."

It makes things a bit safer too, since it's pretty easy for bad guys to spoof Caller ID and they could call into banks, etc. with your phone number if calling a non-toll free number.

The fact that almost no one pays, per call, for long distance, is not relevant.

[sms]

If you do want to call a toll free number, say to order a product or inquire about a price, and you don't want them bothering you in the future, blocking ANI can be useful.

With Google Voice, if you use Google Hangouts on your cell phone to place the toll free call, and use *67, then they transmit some other number to the receiving party. If you don't use *67 then they get your Google Voice number.

However if you are using an Obi device, with Google Voice, on your analog home phones, *67 does not block your number when calling toll free numbers.

[clare]

NONE of the scammer spam-callers are using "toll free numbers" they are almost exclusively using VOIP systems where their cost to call Boiuse Idaho from Bangelor India is less than 3 cents, compared to regular "toll free" which would cost them 50 cents to 5 dollars.

They can have a rapid city south dakota phone number on that Voip system - or even a boise idaho number(which makes it a local call).

I could take my VOIP box to Nairobi Kenya or Daka Nigeria and make no-cost phone calls anywhere in Canada - and I can block the number.

[clare]

There are still In-Watts toll free numbers so anyone in a large calling area can call you on your dime. There are still some companies run by Luddites who will use outgoing watts lines for a "flat rate" cost. instead of moving to VOIP phone systems to contact their customers across north america for "free"

[Stormin Mormon]

Which ones can you have more fun with?

[DerbyDad03]

How can you make phone calls in Canada if your box is in Nairobi?

[sms]

First of all, you miss the point. Sometimes you want to know the number of someone who is calling you but that has blocked Caller ID.

Second, there is a big difference between a WATS line (please don't call them "watts lines", WATS=Wide Area Telephone Service) and an incoming toll free number.

Third, some VOIP providers don't support boxes that are used in other countries, so you'd need a way to set up VPN on them.

Fourth, with a VOIP provider there is no "local" or "long distance."

[Stormin Mormon]

And can we have fun with you?

[clare]

The Voip Box doesn't know or care where it is - it thinks it is wherever it's number says it is.