General Chat

Within the past hour, I've had 2 automated calls about renewal of my 'Amazon Prime' account. Apparently it's £79.99!

I've never used Amazon.

Now, I could report them, and will, no doubt be 'advised' to get the number blocked.

One small problem - the number is 'Witheld' :-|

I can't actually block all 'Witheld' numbers, as I know of 2 people who use this.

It also makes it difficult to report it to 'Amazon'.

There a several ways to filter unwanted calls on both fixed and mobile phones -

https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/cordless-phones/article/how-to-block-nuisance-calls

but dealing with withheld numbers is tricky. Some individuals withhold their numbers, as does most of the NHS while calls from abroad on fixed lines do not present their number. I just bit the bullet which is much easier now that we hardly use the fixed line in any case. The NHS will present a mobile number if you push them. In any case analog telephony ends in a few years time poss sooner then scheduled 'cos they are running out of parts.

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2018/jun/24/landline-mobile-guide-death-telephone
(funny)

Yes, I know dealing with witheld numbers is tricky - I think I mentioned it! :-D

I also never mentioned which phone it was on - I actually have a mobile, a smartphone and a landline, but a presumption has been made.
As for predicting the future of landlines - hmmm. Maybe businesses, and only BT.

Since having a telephone angel not one unsolicited call received. No cost as it's a built in feature on the home phone (providing you use caller display). Friends who are in my phone book just disabled witholding their number for me so they get through automatically.

I wish I had this years ago when I was bombarded with unwanted calls.

If I don't recognise the caller on my mobile it just gets diverted to message service.

I loathe these blasted scammers.


Sue x

What is a telephone angel? Some form of answering service?

The Amazon phone scam is always to landline numbers. If they tried the same thing to a mobile number it would be easy for the network operator to pick up the source number.

The majority of residential landline numbes do not even have a phone attached, they are just there as part of the internet installation. Some operators eg Vodaphone offer BB without a number which saves money.

Our landline rings only two or three times a day but I like old steam technology.

The death of analog pstn telephony is certain - no more bits!, no more telephone exchange buildings. This applies to both res. and biz users. Everybody will use an ip connection. And it will be much harder for scam callers ::-)

"Openreach has announced that it will withdraw its Wholesale Line Rental (WLR) products that rely on the BT PSTN by 2025.1 As a result, over 16 million telephone lines that use Openreach’s wholesale call products will be transferred to IP-based networks which support broadband-based call services. Similarly, Virgin Media intends to retire its PSTN over the next few years and currently anticipates completing its switch to IP in line with Openreach’s timescales."
(Ofcom)

Quite how this is going to play with a largely unsuspecting older tranche of the population I have no idea. At least they won't be able to blame it on the EU.

The phone answers the unknown call and asks them to announce who they are. The phone then rings me and says who is on the line. I have the choice of taking the call or diverting it to the answerphone. If the caller doesn’t announces who they are the call is ended and I’ll never know they have tried calling :-D :-D

Sue - do you pay for this?

RTR - assumptions yet again!

As only 79% of the adult population has a mobile, I can't see the end of landlines any time soon.

As for your last paragraph - so you, being part of the 'older tranche of the population' voted Brexit did you? No? But you're happy to imply most others did.
Why? Do you really think you're so 'different'?

My home phone through virgin media is programmed not to accept nos withheld calls

I pay a small sum with my bill for the service

I also have nos withheld on my own phone but putting in 1570 takes off the nos withheld for the one outward call .

I have to remember to take it off before I ring my friend as her phone doesn’t accept nos withheld calls .

I only use a landline. OH uses a smartphone and I do have a mobile which is charged a couple of times a year so he can ring it to keep the SIM card live.

I am not assuming anything , the pstn (public switched telephone network ) which is run by BT Openreach and Virgin Media will shut down no later than 2025.

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2018/05/openreach-begin-consulting-on-withdrawal-of-uk-pstn-phone-network.html

You have until 27 July 2020 to voice any objections or comments.

Everyone will then have to use voip telephony but they won't have to change their number. Old type phones designed for the pstn won't work. This has already happened in Australia without too much hassle and to over 3 M UK homes and businesses.

Shirley, there are a couple of people who I know, who have witheld numbers, so not much good to me. I couldn't be bothered with the faff! :-D :-D

Sharron, I tend to use my pay as you go mobile for agencies to call me.
Occasionally, I get a message saying I haven't texted or called for a while, and threatening to take away the signal/cut the phone - so I text my sister! :-D :-D

PAYG is being phased out by the ISPs in favour of rolling 30 day contracts. O2 & VM have already done so and the others will follow along.

"Virgin announced it will axe its 'classic' PAYG and international sim cards for new customers, although existing ones will still be able to top-up. The move comes after Virgin Media announced it would be stopping PAYG sims as well as putting up prices for existing PAYG customers"

O2 has, like Virgin, cut back it's PAYG services.

I think that means the 'classic' aspect is being cut, not necessarily phased out, though it could be, probably not now, but in the future - like petrol cars will eventually be phased out - but not now.
To make a sweeping statement, as though you're 'in the know' is a bit silly.

Oh yes, and I'm not with either Virgin or O2.

"Virgin announced it will axe its 'classic' PAYG and international sim cards for new customers, although existing ones will still be able to top-up. The move comes after Virgin Media announced it would be stopping PAYG sims as well as putting up prices for existing PAYG customers"

O2 has, like Virgin, cut back it's PAYG services.

I think that means the 'classic' aspect is being cut, not the whole service, though it could be, probably not now, but in the future - like petrol cars will eventually be phased out - but not now.
To make a sweeping statement, as though you're 'in the know' is a bit silly.

Oh yes, and I'm not with either Virgin or O2.

I have a spare phone that used to run on Virgin PAYG. Under the new system of charging it is much cheaper to have a rolling 30 day contract unless the phone is hardly ever used. Thus VM is quite deliberately squeezing out PAYG. O2 v much the same. If users move to another network then so well and good.

The reason for this is that a lot of people now use a smartphone contract as their usual method of accessing the internet for which PAYG is way too expensive. They have shifted to rolling contract 4G 5G when available.

Those, mainly older, low use users of PAYG are no longer profitable and so it makes sense to end PAYG soon rather than later.

Anyway, enough of 'what phone' and 'the future - how will we communicate' - back to these pesky Amazon Scammers! :-|

Maggie I’ll message you a link later

X

Thank you, Sue.

I do feel a little sorry for him - but 'Amazon' rang me at 07:53 this morning.
I have been up since 07:10, but scammers should know, my 'wake up' hour of copious tea drinking should never be interrupted - and it's downright obscene to scam anyone before 09:00 anyway. :-| :-|

After the initial automated blurb, I actually pressed '1' - waited for the human to say 'good morning' - and let rip!
Well, I 'informed' him, at about 150 decibels, in basic English that I'd never used Amazon before, and could he 'kindly' go away :-D :-D

Oh - and this time, I actually have a number :-D

Next time, if it's not inconvenient to me, I may see how long I can keep the poor human talking.