How do you use caller id?

[wrk4lvg]

I fought with my wife about call waiting. I did not want it. Saw no purpose to it. I still don't. If I'm on the phone with someone, my attention should be given to them. I shouldn't be putting them on hold to go talk to someone else. The other person can just call back until they get through. Of course, I lost that argument and we did get call waiting but when I make outgoing calls, I often block it.

See, then you pseudo agree with my logic on not answering calls above based on x reason. Because while I'm on a call, I won't answer the 2nd incoming call unless it's 1 of 3 people. My GF, mom, or dad. Anyone else will be rolled to voicemail.

[jpg7n16]

In our form of bill collecting we design our systems to call you with a number specific to your area code to better our chances you will pick up. So you may live in Alaska, but we're calling your from Tennessee using a area code you know.

That may be true, but I don't have any bills so bill collectors never call me from any number

So I might get a call with a California area code but it might be a friend who lives 10 miles away from me.

If it's my friend, I'd have their number saved in my phone. Or the 1st time they call, they can leave a message - then I'll add them into my phone for future reference.


For me, I think it comes down to the probability that it's a telemarketer - which they really irritate me. Especially the recorded ones that don't respond until you say 'hello' twice. Now, I usually just say 'hello' once and then hang up.

Local numbers 98% chance of legit call from a person/business I know
Non-local 98% chance of a telemarketer

I've been trained to ignore non-local numbers by rewarding me with a negative experience when I answer. 98% of the time, I'm disappointed or irritated or just hang up on someone (which I think is rude to do, but they don't listen).

Too many negative experiences with unknown numbers.

[wrk4lvg]

SOME what topic related.

My bill just cycled today.

Of the 700 min I'm allotted each month, I used 44 mins. My dad (55 years old who carries two phones) used 417 mins. (No telling how many mins he uses on his 2nd phone as it's for work only)

He, like you, will pick up the phone regardless of whose calling him. So much so, I told him if he didn't stop pushing our monthly bill to the minute limit, I was going to put him on his own plan so he could pay a higher rate plan and I could go to an even lower/cheaper plan. (We're on a family shared)

[Like2Plan]

I'm older than DS, we have caller ID on our home phone and it rare that we answer it if we don't know who it is (and we may not answer it even if we know who it is if we are busy with some activity--like fixing dinner or eating dinner, for example. )

I rarely answer my cell phone because I usually can't hear it ring (a lot of times I have the ringer set on "stun" ). But, I don't think I would answer if it said "unknown caller".

I do love text messaging.

[DebbieL]

I'm 40, so didn't grow up with it either. That doesn't mean I would want to live without it now though. Biggest time saver ever. I won't answer the phone to telemarketers, etc.

Even before I had caller ID, I used my answering machine to screen calls. If you left a message (and I knew you - or wanted to talk), I would pick up as soon as I heard your voice. If not - I guess it wasn't important.

[disneysteve]

I won't answer the phone to telemarketers

Can you tell it is a telemarketer just from the phone number?

A few of you have mentioned telemarketers. Have you registered your number on the do not call list? Since doing that, the number of these calls dropped off to almost nothing.

[Aleta]

Call waiting deluxe will appear when you are already on the phone. The beauty of call waiting is that you can choose who and when you want to talk.

I rarely answer unknown calls. Someone with the same name of my husband owes a lot of people money and we have even gone through our telephone company to act as a third party to let the creditors know that we aren't the ones they are looking for.

If it's important they will call back and leave a legitimate message. Many are telemarketers.

My husband has only a certain amount of minutes per month and he couldn't possibly answer every Tom, Dick, and Harry that calls. him. Some of these calls are even wrong numbers. He will usually use a landline to call people back after checking his messages.

I just think that it is one more option to not be bothered by unwanted calls and our right not to answer the calls. Also there can be people that you know and family that really don't care whether you have the time to talk to them or not. It's very important today to guard your privacy and your relationships from being bombarded with unwanted calls.

[disneysteve]

he couldn't possibly answer every Tom, Dick, and Harry that calls. him.

I guess others are bothered by a lot more unintended calls than I am. Our home phone hardly ever rings. Days will go buy without a phone call from anyone but my mother. On my cell phone, my wife is the main one who calls. I get calls from my answering service when I'm on call. And I get the occasional call from someone at the synagogue. That's about it.

We have no overdue bills so no collectors calling. And telemarketers are not that common. I guess that's why I've never seen the need to utilize caller ID.

[jpg7n16]

Have you registered your number on the do not call list?

You know I honestly hadn't cause I thought it was some long drawn out process.

It was actually ridiculously easy.

1) Go to website:

https://www.donotcall.gov/register/reg.aspx

2) Enter up to 3 phone numbers and an email address (for confirmation link)

3) Click link in email

Done. Took me like 20 seconds.



No name. No info. No forms to fill out. No nothing. It was soo much easier than I thought it would be! Glad I got that done.

[bjl584]

I actually just got a call from a Restricted number. It was my doctor confirming an appointment that I have tomorrow. I was expecting him to call, so that's why I answered this time.

[disneysteve]

I actually just got a call from a Restricted number. It was my doctor confirming an appointment that I have tomorrow.

That's a perfect example. Just because a number is unknown, not in your contact list, restricted, whatever, doesn't mean it isn't a real call from someone you actually need to speak with. I'd rather take 10 seconds to answer the phone than waste time later playing telephone tag trying to get back in touch with the caller.

[YISave]

I guess others are bothered by a lot more unintended calls than I am. Our home phone hardly ever rings. Days will go buy without a phone call from anyone but my mother. On my cell phone, my wife is the main one who calls. I get calls from my answering service when I'm on call. And I get the occasional call from someone at the synagogue. That's about it.

We have no overdue bills so no collectors calling. And telemarketers are not that common. I guess that's why I've never seen the need to utilize caller ID.

It's not people who owe the debt but others with the same name do and they don't believe you when you tell them they have the wrong person. The debt collectors are relentless even if you're not the one they are looking for.

[disneysteve]

It's not people who owe the debt but others with the same name do and they don't believe you when you tell them they have the wrong person. The debt collectors are relentless even if you're not the one they are looking for.

I guess I'm lucky that I have an uncommon last name.

[GREENBACK]

I will say that often times law enforcement can call from a restricted number, for security purposes, but generally will unblock it to call for urgent situations. I'm not sure how caller I.D. works everywhere but it's almost always a B.S. call from telemarketers, here in Ohio, if it comes across as unknown.

I like the caller I.D. feature because there are, frankly, some people and organizations that I'd just assume not speak to at all. I generally don't answer the phone if I don't have it in my contacts. I know if I called someone who I didn't know I'd leave a message and I expect the same from others.

[MonkeyMama]

Can you tell it is a telemarketer just from the phone number?

A few of you have mentioned telemarketers. Have you registered your number on the do not call list? Since doing that, the number of these calls dropped off to almost nothing.

We haven't registered because I rather not put my phone # out there. I never trust the do not call registry. Do you really get less calls? I figured someone who shouldn't would get ahold of those numbers and it would just worsen the problem.

That said, I should clarify. I get a LOT of wrong # calls. A lot of political calls. A lot of calls for surveys/opinions. & a LOT of marketing calls from vendors I deal with. I ask every time for them to take me off their list, but few seem to oblige. I don't think the do not call register helps with any of these categories.

I don't get cold tele marketing calls, but I don't answer the phone. They don't leave messages, generally. I'd probably get more of those, too, if I picked up the phone.

All in all, I don't think we get a lot of cold calls.