# Would you choose to pay for incoming phone calls?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-choose-to-pay-for-incoming-phone-calls/45854>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 16, 2000, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-choose-to-pay-for-incoming-phone-calls/45854 "2000-12-16T03:26:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-choose-to-pay-for-incoming-phone-calls/45854/1 "2000-12-16T03:26:29Z")

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… if you knew it would result in no telemarketing calls? The marketers can’t call a number that results in a cost to you. The Bells could institute an optional 5 cents a call charge for incoming calls. It would be nifty!

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**Author:** ![Sasquatch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@Sasquatch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sasquatch)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-choose-to-pay-for-incoming-phone-calls/45854/2 "2000-12-16T03:58:41Z")

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Nah. Caller ID / Privacy Manager weeds out a good 95% of telemarketing calls for me.

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**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2000, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-choose-to-pay-for-incoming-phone-calls/45854/3 "2000-12-16T04:55:44Z")

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No. The caller should have to pay you for calling, and only the people on a list you provide to the phone company , don’t pay you a fee.