Anonymous Call Rejection
 

This one is mainly for the ntl: whizz kids and a possible re-think!

About eighteen months ago, I was getting (as are possibly a lot of ntl: customers!) plagued by cold calling phone calls. Judging by the accent now (which they can't really hide!) we are now started getting a lot from India.

Telecentrial (as it was a long time ago) were going to have a call rejection as part of the telephone package. When I first applied, the exchanges weren't tooled up for it. When it did become available I applied for it, and it has now part of my phone package. It stopped the cold calling dead in it's tracks.

It now appears, that some of these call centres now are getting around, some how or other, this problem. When I get one of these calls now, if you do a 1471 you are told by the system that the number is not available or was unobtainable.

So I now throw it open to ntl:'s administrators, but before I do, I would like to say, I'm not paranoid or anything like that, my phone number is in the phone book, and I'm shown on the electoral register. It's just p*ssing me off, that these people are getting around the system.

Register with the telephone preference service by calling 0845 0700 702 abd they should be able to help stop the cold calling with regards to the other point i'm not sure :)

Alternatively visit http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/html/default.asp and you can register your phone number, fax number and snail mail addresses.

I've done this and I get virtually *no* unsolicited calls, faxes or junk mail anymore.

Thanks Grum and Graham. It's given me a pointer in the right direction! I have just been talking to a friend of mine on this, and he reckons the way they are getting around this, is that they are dialing with their number unblocked, but when you try to get the number they are calling from, it's blocked that end!!

Sadly one reason for "some" companies transfering telesales functions overseas could be as a way to get round things like the Telephone Preference Service.

I have no idea though if this was one of the considerations NTL took into account when deciding to transfer business to India.

Yes I suppose this is possible! From what I have seen in the media, most of it seems to be for cheaper labour and overheads compared to the UK.

There has been a couple of TV programs on this issue and the staff there are paid about a tenth of UK wages, but they are very high earners in their country in comparison to the local wages. I suppose you can't really blame the companies for doing it in comparasion to the UK, and cause I would think it's cheaper phoning the UK from India than the other way round!

I have ACR on my phone Stephen and I know that it can be got round by dialling a prefix of 1470 before my number.

I wonder if the call centres have their systems set to auto dial that these days?

Alan

:dunce: Without appearing dumb, I know how the 141 and 1471 works, but to be honest have never heard of the 1470. Could you enlighten me! :shrug:

1470 releases your number for one call so if you have your number withheld and are calling someone who does not accept anonomous calls then you dial 1470 0208 1234 567 then it will let the call go through.

This is a made up phone number so dont ring it.

Thanks for that Alan. So putting it all altogher we are stuffed!! Graham in an earlier post gave me a URL for this sort thing, but it costs lot of money when I checked the site. Certainly out of my league money wise!! :spin: :eek:

The only other option is to register with TPS on the number given earlier and they will help to stop marketing calls.

Always make sure you tick the boxes to say that you don't want to be contacted about special offers.

I would consider going ex-directory too.

Eh?

It costs nothing to register with the TPS or FPS - that's all you need to do.

However, unlike me, make sure you get a printout of the registration details. The FPS are supposed to follow up on your behalf any complaints against anyone sending junk faxes. If memory serves me correct, they can be fined up to £5000. When I complained, the FPS just wrote back to me saying my number wasn't registered!