----Original Message-----
From: Bob Drzyzgula <bob@DRZYZGULA.ORG>
--snip--

>I would say then, that a device that could spot a call
>with no ID and immediately hand it over to the answering
>machine (and a message that politely says "we do not respond to
>telephone solicitations"), would probably be quite effective.
>


As an enhancement to this approach, I remember reading recently about a
service one of the RBOC's is going to offer for a monthly fee.

If the phone company detects someone is calling you without proper caller-ID
information, they intercept the call and play a message to the caller
telling them that the phone number doesn't automatically accept non-ID
calls. It then asks the caller to leave his/her name, which it records. If
the person doesn't leave a name, the caller is hung up on. If the caller
does leave a name, the phone company calls you and plays the recorded name,
and asks if you want to accept the call. Only if you accept at that point
does the call actually go through.

I would guess that this system is pretty foolproof, since most solicitors
won't be willing to leave a name, in which case you won't even be
interrupted.

Now, if someone could come up with a PIC and ISD voice chip approach to
avoid the monthly fee.... :-)  (Although you might want to do a patent
search first -- I understand the RBOC has some patents on portions of the
process).

Just some thoughts...

Mark