Cell phones sales pitches at DVinfo.net

Wayne Orr · January 10th, 2005, 02:26 PM

I live in a cave, so this may not be news to most of you:

In a few weeks, cell phone numbers are being released to
telemarketing companies and you will start to receive_ sales
calls on cell phones.
Call this number from your cell phone_ 888-382-1222.
It is the national Do Not Call list._ It blocks your number for
5 years.
Here is online form https://www.donotcall.gov/register/reg.aspx

OK, don't say I didn't warn you.

Wayne Orr, SOC

Rhett Allen · January 10th, 2005, 03:40 PM

I actually just read an article today that said even the list isn't going to do any good because they just changed some of the wording and now they CAN have pre-recorded messages call you instead. The list only applies to real-live people making the calls!

What is this world coming to? I can't believe it's legal at ALL! It's my phone (cellular or otherwise) and I pay the bill, no-one should call me unless I ASK them to do so specifically! Especially when it will cost me to answer the damn thing!

Dylan Couper · January 10th, 2005, 04:47 PM

Simple solution:
Inform the caller immediatly that you bill $50/hr with a minimum 1 hour charge to listen to their sales pitch. Ask immediately for their billing information, and tell them that by staying on the phone, they consent to this agreement. Then send them a bill. Then send them another. Then contact a collection agency.

I actually came up with this idea with my lawyer for dealing with phone/cable companies that dick you around on the phone for customer service. He said technicaly you'd have to send them a letter ahead of time to make any kind of a case for it, but I think treating telemarketers this way would certainly give them a bit of a scare, especially if we all did it.

Or you could just hang up.

Rhett Allen · January 10th, 2005, 06:11 PM

Even if you just hang up on them, on a cell phone it just cost you one minute of airtime. And that adds up.

James Emory · January 10th, 2005, 11:00 PM

I think this is being confused with a proposed 411 service for cell phone numbers. The cell phone user has to actually sign up to be in this directory. Who would want to do that anyway? Apparently there has been an e-mail floating around that has created the fear of this cell phone telemarketing. I think wireless providers would block that from happening before losing customers to that disease called telemarketitis. Here are a couple of links that help explain what is going on.

www.komotv.com/news/mnewsaction.asp?ID=34467

www.wjz.com/finance/finance_story_353091737.html

For alot more info, just go to www.google.com and type in Cell Phone Telemarketing and have fun reading for days.

James Emory · January 11th, 2005, 03:29 PM

There was another controversial proposal a few years ago where advertisers wanted to be able to send text messages, images, spam!, etc. to cell phones. This would also charge the end user as well not to mention cause untold amounts of network congestion. That idea disappeared really quick.

Dylan Couper · January 11th, 2005, 06:36 PM

<<<-- Originally posted by Rhett Allen : Even if you just hang up on them, on a cell phone it just cost you one minute of airtime. And that adds up. -->>>

I've got unlimited cell phone time, so it doesn't bother me, but you do have a point!

January 10th, 2005, 02:26 PM	#1
Wayne Orr Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Northridge Ca Posts: 734	Cell phones sales pitches I live in a cave, so this may not be news to most of you: In a few weeks, cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive_ sales calls on cell phones. Call this number from your cell phone_ 888-382-1222. It is the national Do Not Call list._ It blocks your number for 5 years. Here is online form https://www.donotcall.gov/register/reg.aspx OK, don't say I didn't warn you. Wayne Orr, SOC

January 10th, 2005, 04:47 PM	#3
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	Simple solution: Inform the caller immediatly that you bill $50/hr with a minimum 1 hour charge to listen to their sales pitch. Ask immediately for their billing information, and tell them that by staying on the phone, they consent to this agreement. Then send them a bill. Then send them another. Then contact a collection agency. I actually came up with this idea with my lawyer for dealing with phone/cable companies that dick you around on the phone for customer service. He said technicaly you'd have to send them a letter ahead of time to make any kind of a case for it, but I think treating telemarketers this way would certainly give them a bit of a scare, especially if we all did it. Or you could just hang up. __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

January 10th, 2005, 11:00 PM	#5
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	Optional 411 listing I think this is being confused with a proposed 411 service for cell phone numbers. The cell phone user has to actually sign up to be in this directory. Who would want to do that anyway? Apparently there has been an e-mail floating around that has created the fear of this cell phone telemarketing. I think wireless providers would block that from happening before losing customers to that disease called telemarketitis. Here are a couple of links that help explain what is going on. www.komotv.com/news/mnewsaction.asp?ID=34467 www.wjz.com/finance/finance_story_353091737.html For alot more info, just go to www.google.com and type in Cell Phone Telemarketing and have fun reading for days.

January 11th, 2005, 03:29 PM	#6
James Emory Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 1,892	spamming cell phones There was another controversial proposal a few years ago where advertisers wanted to be able to send text messages, images, spam!, etc. to cell phones. This would also charge the end user as well not to mention cause untold amounts of network congestion. That idea disappeared really quick.

January 11th, 2005, 06:36 PM	#7
Dylan Couper Wrangler Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia Posts: 8,314	<<<-- Originally posted by Rhett Allen : Even if you just hang up on them, on a cell phone it just cost you one minute of airtime. And that adds up. -->>> I've got unlimited cell phone time, so it doesn't bother me, but you do have a point! __________________ Need to rent camera gear in Vancouver BC? Check me out at camerarentalsvancouver.com

January 10th, 2005, 03:40 PM	#2
Rhett Allen Major Player Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 607	I actually just read an article today that said even the list isn't going to do any good because they just changed some of the wording and now they CAN have pre-recorded messages call you instead. The list only applies to real-live people making the calls! What is this world coming to? I can't believe it's legal at ALL! It's my phone (cellular or otherwise) and I pay the bill, no-one should call me unless I ASK them to do so specifically! Especially when it will cost me to answer the damn thing!

January 10th, 2005, 06:11 PM	#4
Rhett Allen Major Player Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 607	Even if you just hang up on them, on a cell phone it just cost you one minute of airtime. And that adds up.