How do you use caller id?

[MonkeyMama]

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.

I think you said it well.

I am just a very private person and do not partake in the "you can reach me at all times" that society is moving towards. I partake when it comes to my kids, and I appreciate the technology for that. But when I am at work, or at home having quiet time, I don't want to answer my cell phone every time it rings. I don't think my employer would appreciate it, for one. When I am in the bathroom or eating dinner, I refuse to answer the phone. I know fewer people draw that line these days.

[snafu]

I answer the phone, if it's a telemarketer or wrong number, it only takes a moment to respond politely. I know some women don't respond to phone numbers they don't recognize because they are afraid of unknown numbers. Perhaps others are guarding their privacy or avoiding collectors for all I know.

Thank you for this thread DS, it explains why I find it difficult to get in touch with long standing friends when we return from a longer term out-of-country contract. If we're away for more than 4 months, we cancel our cell since our system doesn't use SIM cards. When we return, we get a new plan, new phone, new number if the old one is no longer available, sometimes new carrier. I never thought about the fact that friends and family would not recognize the new number...it would not show on their contact list. When we meet at an event or presentation they seem genuinely happy to see us and want to make arrangements to visit.

No, I haven't left a message since their spiel about leaving a message is so wordy.

[irmanator]

I work 11-7 so I have it off during the day so I can get some sleep. Then my kids complain cause I forget to turn it back on when I am up. If there was a true emergency my bff is a sahm and is on the school emergency list and has permission to pick up sick kids. I have never had to do this. So I guess we are ok. I also don't answer if I dont recognize it. I haven't had a problem. We are so addicted to these cell phones makes you wonder what people did back in the day when most ppl didn't even have house phones. They got by just fine.

[moneybags]

I do think that is part of it. I'm 46 and obviously grew up without caller id or cell phones or voice mail. If the phone rang, the only way to know who was calling was to answer the phone. Otherwise, you missed the call.

Same generation here, but I love caller ID and call waiting, and they work well together. For example, I'm chatting on the phone, a call buzzes in, I check who it is and can make a decision if my first call should be interupted (ie the kids are calling). Another example, a friend of DH's calls. I don't want to talk, so I let it ring. Said friend can call DH on his cell or leave a message. I don't have to get the message to DH.

The only time I answer "Unknown" is if it is during the school day. My daughter's high school rings in as "Unknown", so I will answer it if she is at school. Otherwise, if unknown or a number I don't know calls, they can leave me a message.

[JSH]

I don't have caller ID on my landline and answer phone when it rings. It doesn't cost me anything to answer the phone and if it is a wrong number or telemarketer it only takes a minute to get rid of them. The key here is that it cost me nothing to answer because with landlines the calling party pays for the call.

With my cell phone I only answer calls from numbers that are in my contact lists and let all others go to voicemail. If it is someone that knows me they will leave a message. Unlike with a landline every wrong number cost me money since with cell phone both the calling and receiving party pay for the call. My wife and I have a pre-paid cell phone that we use infrequently only for calls when we are away from home or the office. We spend about $15 per month total for the two phones.

While on the subject of phones; I also do not answer my cell phone if I am currently engaged in a conversation with someone. I find it incredibly rude to break off a conversation to start another one. Should I really expect the person I'm talking to to simply wait for me to finish the second conversation to continue the first? People think I'm crazy when my phone rings and I simply silence it and continue talking. People seem to think that every phone call must be answered.

[kork13]

I'll say upfront that I TOTALLY agree with DisneySteve on this one. In almost every circumstance, I'll answer the phone if I'm able to. Very few people call me, so when they do, it's generally worth my time. Besides, being reachable 24/7 kind of goes alone with my job description...

As to the actual question of how I use caller ID: it's mostly so I know who I'm talking to when I answer. If it's a friend, I can expect that they probably want to go out and do something. If it's my Commander, I know it's important, and that I should answer in a little more reserved a manner than my standard "Hey **Name**, how's it going?" Plus, it's an easy way to get someone's number--if I didn't have it saved when they call, I can then save it afterward so I know it's them in the future.

Area codes aren't as useful as they used to be because of cell phones. Once someone has a cell phone, they generally keep the number no matter where they may move to.

Absolutely agree. In college, my friends were from all over the country. After I graduated, I kept the same cell phone number when I moved to the Florida panhandle, and then to Oklahoma City. Now, I've got a magic jack, live in Japan, and have a phone number from a Miami area code. I'll probably keep that number for years on end, and probably move 3-4 times all over the world in the meantime.

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.

Not necessarily. Anyone can have their phone number restricted from caller ID (normally for a fee), and many people do so for what they consider "their privacy". I know, that's stupid, because they're the one calling, but whatever... people also think credit card spending isn't "actually spending".

In any case, many government/military agencies have restricted numbers as well. Every time my father calls me from work (he's a meteorologist with NOAA--not exactly "top secret" operations), it's a restricted number. The same goes for calls from my squadron--the caller ID always reads "0000" as the "phone number."

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.

It ABSOLUTELY helps! When I first got my cell phone in college, I got telemarketing calls almost weekly. I registered for the "Do Not Call" list and it stopped within 2 weeks. It's a federal law, enforced by the FTC. If any company violates the registry and calls you, they face HEFTY fines. In the 6 years since I signed up, I've gotten 2 calls: 1 from a survey company (which technically is exempt from adhering to the registry), and 1 from an actual telemarketer...which after I asked him to repeat his company's name, I hung up, called the FTC's violator reporting line, and the person was VERY appreciative of my calling to report the company. He mentioned that I was one of many recent complaints against that company, and that the FTC had actions pending against them. Registering your number is most definitely worth it.
(TANGENT) The same goes for the credit card offer opt-out registry. Since I registered, I've never received a card offer except from my college alumni association.

ETA: One more thought on the "Do Not Call" registry--your phone number IS given to telemarketers, but only in that it's on the massive list of numbers they're not allowed to call, and they have to scrub their call lists monthly of any numbers on the list. Check out the FTC's FAQ website, there's alot of info about the program.

[disneysteve]

We are so addicted to these cell phones makes you wonder what people did back in the day when most ppl didn't even have house phones.

This is exactly my point. We got by just fine when all we had was a phone. No caller id, no call waiting, no voice mail. The phone rang. We answered it. If we were busy, we asked if we could call them back. If it was a wrong number, we told them so. If it was a telemarketer, we said we weren't interested and hung up. I just choose to do the exact same thing now even though there is this "wonderful" technology that would let me do otherwise. The vast majority of phone calls we receive are legitimate calls that we want. The other ones are a minimal annoyance and take less than 15 seconds to handle.

[disneysteve]

I am just a very private person and do not partake in the "you can reach me at all times" that society is moving towards.

I totally agree. I can't stand that people behave that way. Drives me crazy at work when I am literally in the middle of examining a patient and their cell phone rings and they answer it.

Despite what I've said in this thread, there are absolutely times when I do not answer my phone. I do have an answering machine at home and I do have voice mail on my cell and I do use them. If my cell phone rings while I'm at work, I don't answer it if I'm with a patient unless it is my wife, daughter or mother. Anybody else goes to voice mail. I also never use my cell while driving.

[disneysteve]

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 get a LOT of wrong # calls.

You absolutely get far fewer calls once registering your number. I can't think of any reason not to. We registered as soon as the system went live a few years ago.

As for wrong numbers, how do you know it is a wrong number unless you answer the phone? Yes, you can listen to the message after the fact, but if it wasn't a wrong number, then you missed what might have been an important call.

[Like2Plan]

We got by just fine when all we had was a phone. No caller id, no call waiting, no voice mail. The phone rang. We answered it.

I disagree on this one. Before the Do Not Call list, we received a lot of calls at all times of the day. It took much longer to disengage than 15 secs because being polite seemed to be an invitation for them to continue. Caller id is a great tool.

Now we get a lot fewer calls. Even though we are on the Do Not Call list we still get solicitations--mainly from charitable organizations and political campaigns (which are exempt). A lot of times the campaigns will use autocalls with recorded messages which I particularly hate. As for as donations, it is our policy never to send any funds based strictly on a phone solicitation. I first have to research the group to see what their mission statement is, whether they are legit and finally what their overhead is before I will send a donation.

We also get offers to join timeshares (just got one yesterday from Hilton). We haven't shut these down entirely because we have been quasi-interested in another timeshate to go along with our DVC timeshares for stays at places other than Disney. Usually, it is some "fabulous" limited time offer--which takes a few minutes to tell me about and then takes me a few minutes to get them to understand I am not interested at this time...So, if I see it is them and I don't have time to talk, I won't pick the phone up. (We've been on the fence for this one for about 5 years now... )

[wrk4lvg]

I turn my phone off at Dr. Offices, DMVs, or anywhere else that it's rude to have it on. I may be the younger person in here, but I wasn't raised with "entitlements". Even more than busy tones, entitlements drive me even more insane.

[irmanator]

I find it quite rude and annoying when ppl are talking on cell phone in public where others can over hear the conversation. especially if they have one of those tiny handsfree things that clip to the ear, because you think they are talking to you and respond or they are talkin to themselves... If you are in public and must take the call go find a quiet corner.

[GREENBACK]

In any case, many government/military agencies have restricted numbers as well. Every time my father calls me from work (he's a meteorologist with NOAA--not exactly "top secret" operations), it's a restricted number. The same goes for calls from my squadron--the caller ID always reads "0000" as the "phone number."

I know many numbers come in as restricted and I too answer these as I work in law enforcement and most of the calls I get come in this way. When I make a call it goes out as restricted. I understand this because I don't want my number going out to everyone. I do unblock the number for people I know. I'm speaking of calls that come in as "unknown" or "unavailable". I can't think of a circumstance when a person wouldn't leave a message if it was an important call. I usually check all messages immediately.

[disneysteve]

It took much longer to disengage than 15 secs because being polite seemed to be an invitation for them to continue.

Why would you feel the need to be especially polite to someone who was wasting your time? When we get these calls, I say, "Sorry. I'm not interested." And then I hang up. Most times, that probably takes less than 15 seconds.

political campaigns (which are exempt). A lot of times the campaigns will use autocalls with recorded messages which I particularly hate.

I hate those, too, but those are even easier to deal with since there is no human involved and no need for politeness. I pick up the phone, hear that prolonged silence because the message never starts right away until the computer detects that the phone has been answered, then as soon as I hear the recording start (or sometimes even before that if the pause is long enough), I hang up.

I guess I just don't see that as such an inconvenience. In fact, I'd rather answer the phone on the first ring and deal with it than listen to the phone ring 4 times before the machine picks up and then listen to the caller leaving a message (or listen to the recorded message playing).

[Like2Plan]

[QUOTE=disneysteve;282649]Why would you feel the need to be especially polite to someone who was wasting your time? When we get these calls, I say, "Sorry. I'm not interested." And then I hang up. Most times, that probably takes less than 15 seconds. [QUOTE]
Much easier not to answer in the first place.

Sometimes, the phone rings and I am downstairs doing laundry--we used to have a phone downstairs but it stopped working and we never got around to replacing it. So, do I drop everything and race upstairs to pick up the phone or finish what I was doing to see who it was who called? Same thing goes for just about any activity--cooking, for example. A recipe that must be stirred continuously. Do I cradle the phone between my chin and my neck while carrying on a conversation and trying focus on what I'm doing? (I know someone who dropped their phone into a big vat of spaghetti sauce doing this one time.)

Sorry, I see the phone as an instrument for my convenience--not to be at its beck and call at all times of the day.