[LINK] Phone firms told to stop being pests

[matthew at sorbs.net]

----- Original Message -----
From: grant at apc.org.au
Date: Friday, January 16, 2009 10:48 am
Subject: Re: [LINK] Phone firms told to stop being pests
> 
> On Fri, January 16, 2009 10:30 am, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
> > According to an online survey of 1000 people by the Australia 
> Institute> last year, those on the register say they received seven 
> unsolicited> telemarketing calls a month, compared with 10 a month 
> for those not on
> > the register.
> 
> Not sure who they're talking to - we've been on since the start and 
> getabout 1 call a month, if that.
> 
> Any who get through to me are politely asked to remove our number from
> their list. Case closed - peace n quiet.
> 
> Previously, my son used to answer the phone and would grill the 
> person on
> the other end. It was wonderful to hear a 10 year old saying "No, my
> parents don't want to talk to you if you're selling something" - 
> they just
> gave up eventually :)
> 


They could have talked to me... Damn companies that "are calling on
behalf of Telstra" ... they even sent a Telstra rep to my door over
Christmas (Boxing Day IIRC).

They just don't seem to get the message.  I'd be happy to go back to
Telstra ADSL if they would just offer a comparably priced plan with the
features I require.

They all say they can, and I reply, ok well can you supply me with a
block of 128 static IP addresses for $300/yr.  They all say, "yes and we
only charge $29.95/year"...  I reply with that's for 1 address, I want
128 addresses.  They reply with "I'm sure we can do that", I reply with,
"go talk to someone who knows as I need it it writing before I agree to
anything"....  30 minutes on hold.. "Sorry we cannot offer more than one
IP address, but we can offer a better plan rate, and we are faster than
all the competition as we can now supply you ADSL2, are you still
interested?" ....  At this point I ask them if they can hold whilst I
talk to the boss (asterisk does hold music ;-))..  Some time between 6
and 29 minutes they hang up.

I get these calls at least once a month, and sometimes multiple times in
the same week from the same people.

Every call (until I started putting them "on hold") I asked them never
to call again and that I wasn't interested.  They often called back 2
nights later with the same deal, always as I'm in the middle of
preparing dinner.

Swearing at them and hanging up also doesn't seem to have an effect at
stopping them.

I'd be happy to hear of any sure fire plan to get rid of them for good.

Regards,

Michelle