Odd repeated phone calls.

[salymap]

Last night my phone rang very briefly [one ring] at 5 past 20,21,22, 23 hours. The operator just reported that the caller did not leave a number. Could it be one of those annoying firms who contact a block of numbers and can only speak to a few of them, obviously trying to sell some rubbish or other? I didn't have a chance to answer any of the calls, they were so short.

[Flosshilde]

It does sound like an automatic cold call. My mother gets one regularly at 11.00am.

Getting them that late in the evening must be infuriating - but you wouldn't want to un-plug your phone, in case there was a genuine call.

Are you registered with the Telephone Preference Service? It should block cold calls. If you scroll down this page - http://www.moneywise.co.uk/news/2009...ling-companies to about halfway there's some info on cold calls & the law, & if you're not registered here's the TPS site - http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html.

If you are registered & can't get the number of the company calling you to report them I'm not sure what the answer is - a complaint to BT & as the TPS to try & identify them?

Of course, it could be a fault on the line - or perhaps Mr Murdoch is trying to find some juicy gossip? What have you been up to, Saly?

[Parry1912]

Are you registered with the Telephone Preference Service? It might help.

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

[Norfolk Born]

Do you have an answering machine? If so, you could switch it on and set the ringer on the phone to 'off'. A genuine caller could then leave a message which would be indicated on the display of the answering machine.

[Don Petter]

Are you registered with the Telephone Preference Service? It might help.

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/tps/index.html

Worth doing, but I believe it only applies to calls originating in UK, and many of these annoyances come from abroad.

[salymap]

Well,I've been talking to two nice men in India and one said it could be BT testing the line. At 11pm ???

I've re-registered for the Preference Service.

Flossie, up to something? Fat chance now

[Flosshilde]

Well,I've been talking to two nice men in India and one said it could be BT testing the line. At 11pm ???

I suppose it's possible, if someone had reported problems & they were checking lines in the area. If it happens again tonight, though, it's unlikely to be BT testing.

Flossie, up to something? Fat chance now

Oh I'm sure there's life in the old dog yet (I suppose I should use the female equivelant, but it seems rather less complimentary )

[Norfolk Born]

This sounds like a variant on a widely reported scam that's been going on for some time - don't give them the time of day!!
The TPS works fine for UK-based calls, which this unfortunately isn't.

[Auferstehen2]

And before anyone even thinks of making the despicable suggestion...

It ain't me!

Mario

[salymap]

And before anyone even thinks of making the despicable suggestion...

It ain't me!

Mario

Hello Mario,I would never suspect you, you are always quietly listening to Beethoven.

Completely off topic, I am now listening to a CD of Bruckner sym 7, c1938, Carl Schuricht and Berlin, PO.
Remastered but not bad I suppose. best wishes, saly

[Auferstehen2]

Hello salymap - nice to speak!

Bitterly cold here, down to a chilly 12 degrees, but brilliant sunshine. Now, I know you all think we're wussies, but for us, that's cold!

Schuricht, hm? I think he's an underestimated conductor.

The very best wishes to you,

Mario

[Segilla]

I read that silent call information is collected about who answers the phone and at what time, and this is collated and sold on to firms who wish to know the best time to catch people in.


Not sure I believe this, but it sounds cunning enough to be true.

[salymap]

But unless I'd been sitting beside the phone, which I wasn't, it didn't prove anything. It rang 'one ring' each time.

[Frances_iom]

But unless I'd been sitting beside the phone, which I wasn't, it didn't prove anything. It rang 'one ring' each time.

sounds like an automatic line test mechanism - the ring is usually faint as the signal is not meant to trip the phone into a ring signal but if sitting near most phones you hear it tinckle - usually these are programmed to go onfrom late evenings so that a list of faulty lines is ready for the morning (it measures the resistance etc of the phone and compares this with expected result).

The other cause can be automated status notification system which is misdialling - eg some river level warning systems will regularly ring a certain number expecting a modem to answer (a magic answer tone) before it transmits data - commonly used in more rural areas tho thesedays mostly replaced by mobile phone based systems.

[salymap]

Thanks Frances_iom, that sounds the most likely explanation to me. It was quite a quiet ring I thought but loud enough to hear in another room. I do like to know why things happen though.