marinermick
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Post by marinermick on May 4, 2007 10:08:46 GMT 10
For those sick of those pesky telemarketers go to this website: www.donotcall.gov.au/index.cfmYou can register your name so you will never be harassed again. Looks like a great initiative by the government. Let's hope they don't use the details to form and sell a mailing list.  |
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Post by T on May 4, 2007 10:39:10 GMT 10
Its a start, but it excludes politicians, religious groups and surveys. So while you won't get anyone calling to sell you something, they can still call to convert you or ask you pointless questions.
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marinermick
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Coming to Bay 16 Soon
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Post by marinermick on May 4, 2007 10:44:08 GMT 10
Its a start, but it excludes politicians, religious groups and surveys. So while you won't get anyone calling to sell you something, they can still call to convert you or ask you pointless questions. i always say "can you hold on a minute, i'll be right back", and put the phone off the hook it lengthens their call time targets and keeps the line engaged for ages anyway, we have disconnected our home phone line - pointless paying all that money if you use your mobile all the time the money we save can go into good wireless broadband |
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on May 4, 2007 10:53:05 GMT 10
govt only did it after they bere pressured for ages by a victorian mp. for ages they said it would be impractical and a restriction on business, and then they worked out that people would like it. sounds like today's 'battler clauses' in the IR laws really...
the restrictions are basically so someone can't make money by selling on cold-calling. but there are very goodreasons why excluding surveys, charities and political parties is important - the latter two are basically for social purposes (as in it's an arguable social good that they have access to the lists) and the former is impossible to do correctly if they don't have access to the lists. if they didn't call, they'd do door to door.
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on May 4, 2007 11:24:02 GMT 10
i always say "can you hold on a minute, i'll be right back", and put the phone off the hook it lengthens their call time targets and keeps the line engaged for ages While I was a poverty stricken student living on 2-minute noodles I did a few years' work in market research, and when people did things like that I just used to hang up and go to the next number. More annoying is the 'Seinfeld routine': [phone rings]
Jerry: Uh, sorry, Excuse me one second. Hello.
Telemarketer: Hi, would you be interested in switching over to TMI long distance service.
Jerry: Oh, gee, I can't talk right now. Why don't you give me your home number and I'll call you later.
Telemarketer: Uh, I'm sorry we're not allowed to do that.
Jerry: Oh, I guess you don't want people calling you at home.
Telemarketer: No.
Jerry: Well now you know how I feel.
[Hangs up] That would have been funny the first 500 or so times, but after that it got a bit repetitive... Had a guy pretending to be running a pizza shop once. I checked the number, and dialled again, same response. Dialled again and ordered a pizza, just to have a laugh of my own. He was less amused then, but I don’t think he pretends to be a pizza shop anymore. |
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Post by T on May 4, 2007 13:19:29 GMT 10
I've been caught in pointless arguments with telemarketers who are trying to convince me that what they are selling could save me money when any idiot could see that they are just spinning the company line and have no actual understanding of what they are selling, and while I enjoy a good argument now and again some telemarketers just don't listen. I know everyone needs to make money to live, but surley there are better ways then calling someone at 7pm on a Fri or a Sat. At least most surveyors restrict their calling times.
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Post by nutmeg on May 4, 2007 20:43:15 GMT 10
just speak in some strange language and they will leave u alone
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Post by Adz on May 4, 2007 21:39:52 GMT 10
the money we save can go into good wireless broadband Mick, who do you use for wireless broadband? I'm finding it hard to find *any* ISP covering the coast, let alone a good one... |
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Post by ~Floss~ on May 4, 2007 23:48:23 GMT 10
Apparently the Do-Not-Call list also only applies to callers within Australia, so the loophole will actually cause job losses in Aus as more companies change to OS call centres (which IMO are more annoying than a local company using the "we're currently working in your area" routine).... if what i heard was true.
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Post by ~Floss~ on May 4, 2007 23:51:45 GMT 10
Mick, who do you use for wireless broadband? I'm finding it hard to find *any* ISP covering the coast, let alone a good one... Ive been looking for the same thing so we can subsidise a Fox Sports subscription with the money we save on line rental. Problem is we network our broadband between 3-4 laptops and split the cost, which you currently can't do with wireless broadband.... as far as i've been able to find out |
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Post by brett on May 5, 2007 0:00:05 GMT 10
How can anyone complain about this? Surely any restriction is better than before? A sign of the times I guess.
The way the news presented it was that any company within Australia can't be represented, meaning phone centres in India selling Optus or whatever would be banned. Haven't looked into whether this is really the case though.
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Post by omni on May 5, 2007 0:17:36 GMT 10
the money we save can go into good wireless broadband Mick, who do you use for wireless broadband? I'm finding it hard to find *any* ISP covering the coast, let alone a good one... I can't even get broadband at my house! |
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Post by ~Floss~ on May 5, 2007 0:49:29 GMT 10
How can anyone complain about this? Surely any restriction is better than before? A sign of the times I guess. . I agree - has to be an improvement. There's always going to be sceptics of anything the govt has a hand in The way the news presented it was that any company within Australia can't be represented, meaning phone centres in India selling Optus or whatever would be banned. Haven't looked into whether this is really the case though. I hope that's true. Would be sensible |
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Post by MrCelery on May 5, 2007 1:08:20 GMT 10
the money we save can go into good wireless broadband Mick, who do you use for wireless broadband? I'm finding it hard to find *any* ISP covering the coast, let alone a good one... I use these guys home.idl.com.au and have been happy with their service, speed, reliability. I'm just about to upgrade to their business level service. Faster speed, less packet loss, VOIP enabled, Ethernet connected direct to wireless router, etc. They have Gosford in their name, but I think their coverage might be patchy down south. |
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beowulf
Local league player
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Post by beowulf on May 5, 2007 9:06:33 GMT 10
Apparently the Do-Not-Call list also only applies to callers within Australia, so the loophole will actually cause job losses in Aus as more companies change to OS call centres (which IMO are more annoying than a local company using the "we're currently working in your area" routine).... if what i heard was true. it applies to overseas call centres making calls for australian companies. It should also apply to 'charities'. Most of those calling are commercial call centres calling on commission to the charities. You'd be naive to think your giving money to charity when you buy tickets for raffles in this way. And they are as annoying as the next unsolicited caller.. |
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Post by Pete on May 6, 2007 11:33:20 GMT 10
the money we save can go into good wireless broadband Mick, who do you use for wireless broadband? I'm finding it hard to find *any* ISP covering the coast, let alone a good one... Adz, if you are having troubles getting a decent broadband ISP what hope do the rest of us have? (being in IT and all that stuff) Now if we can only get a Do Not Call register for credit card call centres I'd be very happy, after being hassled by a lass with an Indian accent representing Diners Card (when it wasn't neccessary).  Had a Diners Club card for years now, but after these last lot of phone calls I think I'd be better off without it - and I wasn't even overdue! |
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Post by dibo (pron. "DIB-OH") on May 6, 2007 11:39:38 GMT 10
Mick, who do you use for wireless broadband? I'm finding it hard to find *any* ISP covering the coast, let alone a good one... Adz, if you are having troubles getting a decent broadband ISP what hope do the rest of us have? (being in IT and all that stuff) Now if we can only get a Do Not Call register for credit card call centres I'd be very happy, after being hassled by a lass with an Indian accent representing Diners Card (when it wasn't neccessary). Had a Diners Club card for years now, but after these last lot of phone calls I think I'd be better off without it - and I wasn't even overdue! diners can call you if you're a customer. you couldn't restrict against that - you've chosen to be their customer, they can choose to call you. on the internet thing - my parents are with iinet and it's good. they're in narara though, so those farther afield from gosford might struggle. |
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Post by sideshow on May 6, 2007 11:48:02 GMT 10
the money we save can go into good wireless broadband Mick, who do you use for wireless broadband? I'm finding it hard to find *any* ISP covering the coast, let alone a good one... just wait for a telemarketer to call, some of them have some great deals ;D |
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Post by bakery5 on May 6, 2007 12:03:21 GMT 10
donst Terrigal ISP have broadband.
Optus has a broadband by the way, thats the connection of choice at my household.
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Post by Pete on May 6, 2007 15:17:25 GMT 10
diners can call you if you're a customer. you couldn't restrict against that - you've chosen to be their customer, they can choose to call you. Dibo, I know that mate, I was just wishful thinking. But I do suspect calling about my account when it is not even overdue may be an harrassment. |
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