Private numbers

Leg End Reject

Answer the phone, if it's an unwanted caller hang up and get on with your life. No one will die.

Wallet Inspector

km991148 wrote: »

lol - I dont get this "afraid" or scared attitude.


I simply cannot be arsed dealing with randomers or sales - which 99% of the time a private caller is. If its important to me and not to help some wanker meet a sales target then they we will no doubt speak.

Where is the fear?

Is everyone who's just doing their job a wanker?

Anyway you may not be angry, scared or upset about calls coming from blocked numbers but others are.

Posy

What's the difference between a number showing as "private" or "unknown" or getting a call from 01-41110986 or 087-11677453? It's still not a number you might recognise straight away.
Are people generally more likely to answer the latter?

km991148

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

Is everyone who's just doing their job a wanker?

Anyway you may not be angry, scared or upset about calls coming from blocked numbers but others are.

Of course not - probably most of them aren't! but I still don't care enough to talk to them... And I don't see what wrong with that?

km991148

Posy wrote: »

What's the difference between a number showing as "private" or "unknown" or getting a call from 01-41110986 or 087-11677453? It's still not a number you might recognise straight away.
Are people generally more likely to answer the latter?

No, but more likely to search it and find out after if it's worth calling back.

km991148

Leg End Reject wrote: »

Answer the phone, if it's an unwanted caller hang up and get on with your life. No one will die.

Or just ignore it and get on with even more of your life.

Still unlikely that someone will die as a result.

Leg End Reject

km991148 wrote: »

Or just ignore it and get on with even more of your life.

Still unlikely that someone will die as a result.

It is, but it might have been a call worth taking. More to lose than gain.

km991148

Leg End Reject wrote: »

It is, but it might have been a call worth taking. More to lose than gain.

That's the thing, depends on the person really.

No good has ever came from answering a private number (for me and a lot of people). One person said they got 300 quid once.

If it's important they will get me.

beauf

cdeb wrote: »

You wonder is there a way a mobile network could display the phone number and the organisation associated with it? All an office's landline numbers are all linked with the one account anyway (presumably), so your phone could display "Incoming call 01-1234567 [Boards.ie]" or something like that.

It would make it much easier to scan calls. Could be optional from the corp's viewpoint, but in theory the spam callers would be the ones more likely not to sign up, and be identifiable that way.

There are apps that do this also. Simpler Dialer is one. I like the app but have this feature turned off. It's similar in how WhatsApp shows you who people are.

Wallet Inspector

km991148 wrote: »

Of course not - probably most of them aren't! but I still don't care enough to talk to them... And I don't see what wrong with that?

I'm not referring to that - they're usually cold calls (although I still always answer, and just hang up if it's a cold call). What I mean is the people who take it so personally that the number is blocked.

km991148

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

I'm not referring to that - they're usually cold calls (although I still always answer, and just hang up if it's a cold call). What I mean is the people who take it so personally that the number is blocked.

Ye fair enough.. do people tho? I mean take it so personally? Especially now? Even the opening post of this thread was tounge in cheek, surely?

It's an interesting phenomenon these days and another example of our usage of technology shaping behaviour.

The overuse of withheld numbers by cold calling companies and the rise of messenger apps.

Someone already pointed out the reluctance of the younger generation to make an office phone call.

Not that long ago mobile phone networks were trying to ban apps that were used for communications (i.e all voice and chat apps).

Leg End Reject

Leg End Reject wrote: »

Answer the phone, if it's an unwanted caller hang up and get on with your life. No one will die.

Don’t answer the phone if it’s an unknown caller*. They can leave a message. Get on with your life. No one will die.

This is what normal people do.

I wonder why the consensus skews to the other direction here.

* unless you are expecting a randomer to call like a delivery man.

Wallet Inspector

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

It's usually out of the caller's control. No, definitely more bizarre that a phone number being blocked causes such fear, anger and upset to adults.

It doesn’t cause any fear. Ffs. The utter nonsense from people on this thread. Are you all cold callers?

Wallet Inspector

Deleted User wrote: »

I wonder why the consensus skews to the other direction here

Bunch of easily terrified/socially awkward folk more likely to congregate on forums.

Wallet Inspector

Deleted User wrote: »

It doesn’t cause any fear. Ffs. The utter nonsense from people on this thread. Are you all cold callers?

Never been, thank God.

I've just always found it bizarre how angry people get over it.

I don't mean "I don't bother answering as it's probably a cold caller" but people who get offended by it. And they do. I have dealt with customers who have said when I told them their callback would be from a blocked number, they've responded with "Well I don't answer blocked numbers".

Wallet Inspector

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

Bunch of easily terrified/socially awkward folk more likely to congregate on forums.

That’s what I was arguing against. The people on here who say you should answer all calls are the odd ones. It’s probably some kind of OCD. Or the kind of businessman who calls from a blocked number.

Wallet Inspector

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

Never been, thank God.

I've just always found it bizarre how angry people get over it.

I don't mean "I don't bother answering as it's probably a cold caller" but people who get offended by it. And they do. I have dealt with customers who have said when I told them their callback would be from a blocked number, they've responded with "Well I don't answer blocked numbers".

The people getting offended are people like you. You’ve just said people who don’t answer are timid and scared. It’s totally normal. I’ve posted two links on that.

Get rid of the blocked numbers.

tjhook

I generally answer calls whether the number is private displayed, or displayed but unknown to me - depending on what I'm doing at the time.

Having said that, I can understand the contrary viewpoint. An incoming phone call of any description is an immediate demand on your time. Before mobile phones, you were uncontactable any time you left your home/office. There's a mental freedom in that, especially when there was no alternative to that unavailability, no guilt that we should have brought the mobile phone.

Since the dawn of mobile phones, we (at least those of us with the infernal devices ) are contactable at all times, by anybody. I can see how a person might yearn for more control over their time.

If I get to the point that it's an issue for me, I'll probably be judicious about it. I'd configure my phone so my contacts are in groups ("Work", "family", "friends", etc), and set up profiles ("At home relaxing", "working", "out and about") using software like Tasker. Profiles can be automatically triggered based on my location, the time, day of the week, etc, and allow/disallow incoming calls from each group, or from unknown/invisible numbers.

Having said that, whatever approach we take is our own decision and we have to live with the consequences of that. Private numbers are often the default (e.g. for unlisted numbers) and are sometimes the only option (for people in particular organisations or roles).

Raging against private numbers won't achieve much. Personally I dislike those "read receipts" people send on emails, and I never allow one to be returned. But I accept that the technology allows for them, and that not returning one may have consequences (such a follow-up email or phone call). It's about personal responsibility!

Antares35

steinbock123 wrote: »

I’m highly amused at people complaining about private numbers.
I’m old enough to have lived at a time when mobile phones weren’t even thought of, never mind invented, and back then , when the phone rang , you just answered it, obviously as someone was calling you.
Why it’s deemed necessary to know who’s calling in advance before you answer these days is beyond me. I get that it’s a neat feature to see who’s calling, but private number coming up would never stop me answering the phone.

I suppose those times were also when there weren't a million scam artists out there pretending to be the bank, revenue etc. Or the more innocuous but equally annoying cold callers.

The most annoying ones are where they call and ask you to confirm who you are - you called me, you should know who I am!

eleventh

The only ones I know who answer every call immediately don't know how to use the phone settings. Everyone else answers when available. It's obviously not like the old days where if you don't get to the phone on time, you wonder who it was. I remember as a teen I'd run down the stairs, stop what I was doing if I thought it was for me. If someone rings now and doesn't leave a message, the call wasn't important, it's that simple.

As to private numbers, I wouldn't answer unless there's a delivery or something I'm expecting where it's unlikely to be anyone else.

If the person doesn't think enough of you to leave a voicemail, or text if VM not possible, why would you waste your time.

Mister Vain

It's not always possible to answer your phone either. You could be at a meeting or in the shower. If its something important they usually leave a message or they will just have their number showing so you can ring them back. I'm very surprised a hospital would have their number blocked.

Wibbs

tjhook wrote: »

Having said that, I can understand the contrary viewpoint. An incoming phone call of any description is an immediate demand on your time. Before mobile phones, you were uncontactable any time you left your home/office. There's a mental freedom in that, especially when there was no alternative to that unavailability, no guilt that we should have brought the mobile phone.

Since the dawn of mobile phones, we (at least those of us with the infernal devices ) are contactable at all times, by anybody. I can see how a person might yearn for more control over their time.

There is that, though back in the 90's when I got my first mobile I noted early on that they could become a timesink, or even a solution to non existent problem. The week after I first got one I went off fishing for the day. Parked, got all set up and the realised I forgot my moby! Ooh god!! What if someone can't reach me etc. :eek: Got back in the car and started to drive back home to get it. A few miles down the road I thought WTF are you doing you mental case and drove back and went fishing. I mean I'd gone fishing the week before I got my phone.

So I keep the phone at arms length. I'm not welded to it. It goes into airplane mode in the evenings, ditto for when I'm in the car, working, with mates, with dates when they were a thing. I don't have email set up on it either.

I do feel for those who are required to have one on 24/7 for work. I'd want serious extra cash to give up that freedom.

It's about personal responsibility!

Ahh jaysus TJ, you can't be writing that without a trigger warning.

buried

steinbock123 wrote: »

I’m highly amused at people complaining about private numbers.
I’m old enough to have lived at a time when mobile phones weren’t even thought of, never mind invented, and back then , when the phone rang , you just answered it, obviously as someone was calling you.
Why it’s deemed necessary to know who’s calling in advance before you answer these days is beyond me. I get that it’s a neat feature to see who’s calling, but private number coming up would never stop me answering the phone.

I'm old enough to remember those days too, but today's world is completely different, and today's mobile phones are no longer phones but complete mobile data centers. Data that have stored and collected all your information whether it be banking, accounts or whatever. I'm not having anything close to a 'private' number calling me and then hearing next month from the news how some new scam is going around cold calling numbers and then mining the data from this 'new sophisticated scam'. Sorry state of affairs but that's how it is now in today's world.

Wallet Inspector

Deleted User wrote: »

The people getting offended are people like you. You’ve just said people who don’t answer are timid and scared. It’s totally normal. I’ve posted two links on that.

Get rid of the blocked numbers.

There are absolutely people who are angered by it, take it personally, and are afraid of it. This topic comes up so often in online discussion, and my own experience of customers looking for a call.

Wallet Inspector

Deleted User wrote: »

Great example of how society has moved towards autism, paranoia and anxiety being completely normalised.
OH MY GOD MY PHONE IS RINGING AND I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS! HOW DARE THEY!?

buried

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

There are absolutely people who are angered by it, take it personally, and are afraid of it. This topic comes up so often in online discussion, and my own experience of customers looking for a call.

How do you mean, I mean as in, what is your experience of 'customers looking for a call'?

Wallet Inspector

notsoyoungwan wrote: »

I’m laughing at the “this is what’s wrong with the health service” posts. It’s not the 750 approx unfilled consultant posts, not the hundreds of thousands on waiting lists, not the inadequate number of beds, under-staffing in terms of nurses, NCHDs and AHPs, recruitment and retention problems, no, it’s the fact that some hospitals use a private number and some people don’t answer their phone to private numbers.

Unbelievable lack of perspective when it comes to so much.

Lmkrnr wrote: »

Nobody ever ring's to say here's something free for you, or you won this, or would you like that.

Sales callers make offers to existing customers in the hope of keeping them.

Wallet Inspector

Wallet Inspector wrote: »

There are absolutely people who are angered by it, take it personally, and are afraid of it. This topic comes up so often in online discussion, and my own experience of customers looking for a call.

They aren't afraid of it, but they don't know who you are. The vast majority of unknown numbers are spam.

notsoyoungwan

notsoyoungwan wrote: »

I’m laughing at the “this is what’s wrong with the health service” posts. It’s not the 750 approx unfilled consultant posts, not the hundreds of thousands on waiting lists, not the inadequate number of beds, under-staffing in terms of nurses, NCHDs and AHPs, recruitment and retention problems, no, it’s the fact that some hospitals use a private number and some people don’t answer their phone to private numbers.

Thats a false dilemma. Particularly since fixing the private number should be easy.

Wallet Inspector

buried wrote: »

How do you mean, I mean as in, what is your experience of 'customers looking for a call'?

- Call me back
- Will do
- You never called me back
- Yes we did, check your missed calls
- Oh but I don't answer private numbers

Or

- Can I get a callback?
- Sure. Just to be advised, the call will come from a blocked number.
- But I don't answer blocked numbers
...

What do they want? The phone system rehauled just for their call?

Just being difficult for nothing.