Important reminder register that phone# against telemarketers

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the implications of cell phone numbers being released to telemarketing companies and the potential for increased telemarketing calls. Participants explore the validity of claims regarding charges for these calls, the nature of cell phone plans, and the effectiveness of the National Do Not Call Registry.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express concern that cell phone numbers will be released to telemarketers, leading to unwanted sales calls and potential charges for those calls.
  • Others argue that the claim is a hoax, citing regulations that prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phones without consent.
  • Participants discuss the nature of cell phone plans, noting that some plans charge for incoming calls while others do not, leading to confusion about what constitutes "free minutes."
  • There is a clarification that telemarketers do not directly charge consumers, but that certain plans may deduct minutes from a user's allowance when receiving calls.
  • Some participants seek further clarification on the concept of "free minutes" and how they relate to telemarketing calls.
  • Concerns are raised about the lack of legal protections against telemarketing calls and the implications for consumers.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus; there are competing views regarding the validity of the initial claim about telemarketing calls and the implications for cell phone users. Some maintain that it is a hoax, while others express concern about the potential for charges.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention varying cell phone plans and their characteristics, including how they handle incoming calls and the concept of "free minutes." There is also mention of the National Do Not Call Registry and its relevance to the discussion.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in understanding the implications of telemarketing calls on cell phone plans, as well as those concerned about consumer protections related to telemarketing practices.

gravenewworld
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Cell Numbers Going Public

JUST A REMINDER, on January 18, 2006 cell phone numbers are being
released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale
calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS!

These telemarketers will eat up your free minutes and end up
costing you money in the long run. To prevent this, You can register online at: http://www.donotcall.gov. It will only take a minute of your time.

It blocks your number for five (5) years.
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
Thanks I just did mine, and it took less then a minute!
 
You've been had, its a hoax.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/dncalrt.htm

What Phone Numbers Can I Register?

10. Can I register my cell phone on the National Do Not Call Registry?

Yes, you may place your personal cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. The registry has accepted cell phone numbers since it opened for registrations in June 2003. There is no deadline to register a home or cell phone number on the Registry.

You may have received an email telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database; however, that is not the case. FCC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers don’t call consumers on their cell phones without their consent.
 
eh gads! why would someone hoax that? I had been meaning to do my home phone anyways, so I'm still glad I did it.
 
hypatia said:
eh gads! why would someone hoax that? I had been meaning to do my home phone anyways, so I'm still glad I did it.

To annoy gravenewworld.
 
oh, then it is for a good cause.
 
ahh but the telemarketers are allowed to dial #'s by hand...
 
gravenewworld said:
on January 18, 2006 cell phone numbers are being
released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale
calls. YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS!

How on Earth can this happen?! Telemarketing companies CALL YOU and yet we pay for these calls? I'm somewhat stupified!

How on God's name can our law not protect us from these ridiculous services? In fact how can our law not enshrine a simple policy clearly stating that companies conducting these marketing services have to warn people beforehand that they are being charged? This is completely preposterous!
 
gravenewworld said:
ahh but the telemarketers are allowed to dial #'s by hand...

Yah that's a model of efficiency... I'm pretty sure they'll stick to the auto-dialers and just exclude the 500 people who actually were smart enough to exclude their #'s.
 
  • #10
DM said:
How on Earth can this happen?! Telemarketing companies CALL YOU and yet we pay for these calls? I'm somewhat stupified!

How on God's name can our law not protect us from these ridiculous services? In fact how can our law not enshrine a simple policy clearly stating that companies conducting these marketing services have to warn people beforehand that they are being charged? This is completely preposterous!

The telemarketers aren't charging you. Some companies (the OP didn't mention that this only happens to certain cell plans) count minutes against your cell phone plan if someone else calls you, no matter who it is. Most plans however, no longer charge you for incoming calls.
 
  • #11
Pengwuino said:
The telemarketers aren't charging you. Some companies (the OP didn't mention that this only happens to certain cell plans) count minutes against your cell phone plan if someone else calls you, no matter who it is. Most plans however, no longer charge you for incoming calls.

This is a little bit vague. Do you mind simplifying your explanation?

gravenewworld mentioned:
These telemarketers will eat up your free minutes and end up
costing you money in the long run.

If telemarketers "eat up" my free minutes and end up costing me money, how many free minutes do I have before they begin charging me?

For the sake of comprehension can you also clarify what is meant by "free minutes"?

Apologies for the burden
 
  • #12
Well when you get a cell phone, you have a certain "plan" with your provider. You can say have a simple plan that allows you 500 minutes to talk for $10 a month or you have plans where you pay $.05 per minute. One of the characteristics of plans are whether or not you pay for when someone else calls you. When you buy minutes or have a plan, those minutes are normally the time you talk when YOU call someone else. Some plans, however, have those minutes to include calls you make plus calls made TO you.

With this telemarketer thing, the idea is that if they call you (even though duh, you can just hang up on them and waste what, 1 minute?) and you have a plan that charges you or deducts minutes from your account when someone else calls you, you will start to lose minutes. If they call hundreds of times, you'll end up going over your allotted minutes and start incurring rather high fees (for example, if you go over that 500 minute limit in the plan I made up, you might be paying $.25 a minute for every minute over the 500 limit). If you have a plan that charges per minute and also charges whether your the reciever or sender, you'll be paying for the minutes used when telemarketers make.

there's no such thing as "free minutes" either. You're paying for those minutes by buying the plan. What it probably is referring to is the types of plans where you have a certain number (like the 500 in the plan i made up) of minutes that you bought for $10 or whatever. Those 500 minutes are "free" in the sense that you can use them or not use them and it will have no effect on your $10/month bill. If they call enough and eat away enough of those "free minutes", you start going into the >500 minute rate which does start adding to your bill.
 
  • #13
One may buy a certain amount of 'free' minutes per month, e.g. 500 or 1000 free minutes, for a fixed monthly fee. If one exceeds that limit, additional charges (usually at a higher rate) are incurred.

Also, some plans 'roll-over' unused minutes, and one should look for plans with roll-over. Free minutes may expire at the end of the year, so pay attention.

Also, some plans have free calling with other users on the same network and/or calling plan.
 
  • #14
I think I finally understand it.

I'm presuming this doesn't happen with home phones, only cell phones, right?
 
  • #15
Right, but an increasing number of people are using cells as their only phones, eschewing land-lines, and thus don't have the luxury of just shutting the things off to avoid unwanted calls.
 
  • #16
DM said:
This is a little bit vague. Do you mind simplifying your explanation?

gravenewworld mentioned:


If telemarketers "eat up" my free minutes and end up costing me money, how many free minutes do I have before they begin charging me?

For the sake of comprehension can you also clarify what is meant by "free minutes"?

Apologies for the burden
DM, it's a HOAX, no telemarketers are going to call your cell phone.
 

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