# Disconnected line tone on answering machine to discourage telemarketers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 26, 2016, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233 "2016-01-26T04:17:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NJ22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4af34b/32.png) [@NJ22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NJ22)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233/21 "2016-01-27T03:45:39Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Good god yes! Now more than ever, not the least of which because phone rates are practically zero now (no long distance fees at all). And because of the ubiquity of cell phones. We’ve gone from every home having a phone number to every single individual _person_ having one (most all of which get emails and texts too!) I was convinced that telemarketing jobs was eliminated back in 2005 but I see that is not the case. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233/22 "2016-01-27T06:38:39Z")
> [@NJ22](#): > > There are still telemarketing calls in 2016:eek: I got one this morning on my cell phone, from Florida (at least it pretended to be). A man asked me if I remembered that I signed up for some travel plan (he asked me “You remember, right?” multiple times). I said, quite calmly, no I don’t remember because I never did. Sadly he hung up before I could even begin to learn what in blazes he was talking about or who he was with. Most telemarketer calls, I answer and say “hello” and there is just silence. Either these companies need better software or better employees. I’m developing a theory that many telemarketers are paid by the call, and if they get you on the phone for 3 seconds that counts even if they don’t say a word. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233/23 "2016-01-27T15:45:07Z")
That’s THEIR tough luck. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233/24 "2016-01-27T17:10:43Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > Most telemarketer calls, I answer and say “hello” and there is just silence. Either these companies need better software or better employees. I’m developing a theory that many telemarketers are paid by the call, and if they get you on the phone for 3 seconds that counts even if they don’t say a word. This is the result of “predictive dialing.” The telemarketers need real people to talk to consumers and push their products, but real people cost money and computers are cheap. So you separate cold-calling into a dialing part done by computer and and a talking part done by people. The telemarketr has a computer dial, let’s say, a hundred phone numbers at a time with the expectation that thirty people answer. Those thirty callers are routed to thirty telemarketing representatives in the call center who try to push the product. But if 31 people answer, there is a pause until one of the call center reps finishes his last call and is transferred to caller 31. If you hang up before the representative comes on the phone, the telemarketer just puts your number back in the list to be called again later. Generally, call center reps in the U.S. are paid a commission based on sales. Or sometimes a minimum wage only if their commissions don’t exceed the minimum wage. If their commissions don’t exceed minimum wage, they get one minimum wage paycheck and are fired. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233/25 "2016-01-27T17:16:35Z")
I just got a recorded call from “Bridget at Card Services”. It was only one number off from my cell number. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233/26 "2016-01-27T21:04:46Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I just got a recorded call from “Bridget at Card Services”. It was only one number off from my cell number. :dubious: Did Rachel quit? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233/27 "2016-01-27T22:22:14Z")
Ref Rachel & Bridget vs. your caller ID, see this related thread [Is there a call blocker app (iOS) that can block a series of numbers ? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=782307) & my post #4. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233/28 "2016-01-27T23:48:37Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Ref Rachel & Bridget vs. your caller ID, see this related thread [Is there a call blocker app (iOS) that can block a series of numbers ? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=782307) & my post #4. PhoneTray Pro supports wildcard blocking. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disconnected-line-tone-on-answering-machine-to-discourage-telemarketers/744233.md?page=1)