From: dlv@bwalk.dm.com (Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM)
Date: Sun, 8 Sep 1996 02:57:10 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Junk Phone Calls, Metered Usage, and Cellphones
In-Reply-To: <ae55ca940302100440b2@[207.167.93.63]>
Message-ID: <Dy3VTD28w165w@bwalk.dm.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


tcmay@got.net (Timothy C. May) writes:
> The downside is that calls _from_ or _to_ my phone during "business" hours
> are charged 42 cents a minute, airtime (tying up a channel and all), plus
> whatever other fees may be applicable at each end. Thus, every "junk call"
> I get trying to get me to buy aluminum siding, or to vote Democratic, or to
> switch my long-distance carrier (!), costs me a minimum of 42 cents,
> depending on how fast I can realize who they are and get rid of them ("Let
> me forward you to Jim Bell's AP hotline...").

Wrong. It also costs your TIME. Junk e-mail takes TIME to recognize and
delete. TIME (even Tim's time) costs more than 42c.

> Needless to say, my cellular number is only going out to a handful of
> folks, and with recommendations that they not call me during business hours
> unless its urgent.

I had an interesting conversation with a New York Daily News telemarketer
a while ago. (Note that 1) I speak with a noteceable accent, 2) NYDN is a
left-wing tabloid, generally marketed toward blue-collar/minorities.)

RRing.
DLV: Hello?
NYDN: blah blah would you like to subscribe to New York Daily News?
DLV: No thank you, I don't read your newspaper.
NYDN: Well, you could at least look at the pictures <click>.
(Hung up on me before I did. :-)
A few minutes later:
RRing.
DLV: Hello?
NYDN: blah blah would you like to subscribe to New York Daily News?
DLV: Someone just called a few minutes ago and I said I wasn't interested.
 Please don't call this number anymore.
NYDN: I call every number in the exchange. We don't use a list for this.
 We don't do blocking.
(Fortunately, they haven't called me since.)

> These rates have really come down a lot. The unlimited calls is what sold me.

As you yourself point out, their charging you for each incoming call during
business hours is unacceptable. Why don't they bill the 42c / minute to
whomever is calling YOU, as they do with LD and 900 numbers?

---

Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM
Brighton Beach Boardwalk BBS, Forest Hills, N.Y.: +1-718-261-2013, 14.4Kbps