OT - No-Call list

[Krsqk]

Oh, I'm not against having laws against telemarketing; I'm just against federal laws for such things. The Constitution/Bill of Rights does not specifically empower the federal government to deal with the matter, and Article X indeed reserves that right to the states. If each state wants to ban it, fine. If a telemarketer wants to call long-distance to get around it, that's a waste of their money, and not many will.

I would note that I'm opposed to the current trend of amending state constitutions by popular vote to pass legislation which hasn't made it through the legislature (in relation to this topic, constitutionally mandating a do-not-call list). Constitutions are not made to be flexible enough to deal with legislative issues, especially issues with fiscal impacts (IOW, almost all of them).

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Mathias_Ice:
Don't do it!!!! Show me where in the U.S. Constitution you get to tell me I can't promote my company via calling you.

This is not even the point. The question is what gives your company the right to use the telephone service that I pay for to harrass me with calls I did not ask for and do not want.

Unsolicited telemarketting calls should be illegal by default. If telelmarketers want to use my phone to make me offers I did not ask for then they should pay my phone bill. Give us the option to sign up for free phone service that is supported by the advertising revenues. Those that choose to get their phone for free will be the only ones that have to tolerate the calls. It would work the same way as television. I don't pay for broadcast tv. I have to put up with ads to get it free. I buy cable and I get lots of ad free channels.

The same should work for email spam and popup ads. If the vultures want the right to bombard me with their insipid ads they should pay for my Online service and email. If I don't mind the ads I'll get my service free. If I don't want the ads I will pay for my ISP service.

I think it's flat wrong that to get the calls to stop I have to go out of my way and sign up for a do not call list. They should need my permission in advance to call me, not the other way around.

Geoschmo

[Krsqk]

How much does telemarketing drive up your phone service rates? Don't telemarketers pay for their own phone service, too (multiple-line rates, at that), and the right to use it? Following that logic, you should be charged to call anyone, for using the phone service they paid for. Remember, you're paying for the right to send and receive phone calls. See if your phone company has a plan which doesn't let anyone call you but lets you call out if it really bothers you.

Again, if you don't mind taking thirty seconds and they don't take advantage of your courtesy, you can stop them and get your name removed. If they take advantage of it, you can hang up on them. Few people are truly that inconvenienced by the loss of thirty seconds--and they wouldn't have called it an inconvenience if it were a call from a friend or a relative, although they can't know the difference until after they stop what they're doing to answer the phone and the call would likely Last much longer than thirty seconds. (Is the inconvenience having to stop what you're doing, or is it talking to someone you don't know?) If someone really is bothered by the loss of that time, they can 1)take the phone off the hook/turn the ringer off until they're done with their important business, or 2)disconnect their phone service.

[DavidG]

Originally posted by Krsqk:
How much does telemarketing drive up your phone service rates? Don't telemarketers pay for their own phone service, too (multiple-line rates, at that), and the right to use it? Following that logic, you should be charged to call anyone, for using the phone service they paid for. Remember, you're paying for the right to send and receive phone calls. See if your phone company has a plan which doesn't let anyone call you but lets you call out if it really bothers you.

Again, if you don't mind taking thirty seconds and they don't take advantage of your courtesy, you can stop them and get your name removed. If they take advantage of it, you can hang up on them. Few people are truly that inconvenienced by the loss of thirty seconds--and they wouldn't have called it an inconvenience if it were a call from a friend or a relative, although they can't know the difference until after they stop what they're doing to answer the phone and the call would likely Last much longer than thirty seconds. (Is the inconvenience having to stop what you're doing, or is it talking to someone you don't know?) If someone really is bothered by the loss of that time, they can 1)take the phone off the hook/turn the ringer off until they're done with their important business, or 2)disconnect their phone service.

I don't think anyone suggested it was driving up our phone rates. (although I wonder how many would object if they started calling you on your cell phone in which you pay for incomming calls) The bottom line is that many people find telemarketers intensely annoying. Frankly they are often extremely rude and can really get me upset. The loss of 30 seconds is not the problem. I should not have to do things like make my phone number unlisted or take my phone off the hook and thus miss the calls that I want just to get them to stop.

[minipol]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
Unsolicited telemarketting calls should be illegal by default. If telelmarketers want to use my phone to make me offers I did not ask for then they should pay my phone bill.

Here here! I fully agree. They almost render the phone service unusable. Like someone else said, if they want to offer something, buy time somewhere and place adds there. Not on a service a lot of people use every day. We didn't ask to be harassed.

[DavidG]

Anyone every heard the sound clip "one angry brit" on www.heavy.com? I'd post a link if I could. Very funny clip on one guys reaction to a unsolicited phone call. hehe

[Suicide Junkie]

I buy cable and I get lots of ad free channels.

Woah! I'd like some of that! Where do I sign up?