Think Telecom

[New Dexter]

No this isn't a suggestion it's the name of a company with a registered office in Yorkshire but which, I think, operates from Maidstone.

I had a call from a bumptious little p**t who sounded like Danny Dyer. He informed me that he was from Think Telecom and that he would like to discuss my BT line. Was I aware that BT had split recently? It was a few years ago. As I was aware that this was a sales call I let him rattle on, telling me my telephone number, the name of the local exchange and that he could save me money. About half what I was paying now

He seemed to know that I was with BT ( I am not) and that I was probably spending around £50 a month on calls. I am not. I didn't confirm or deny but when he realised that I might be spending £40 a month and I confirmed it he cut off the call. Ignorant little ****. All he had to say was something like "We won't be able assist you then" as a caller said last week.

If you have time, look up the reviews for Think Telecom and if you ever hear of anyone contemplating the move you will know what to tell them and it won't be positive

[Petelang]

As soon as they say "And how are you today"....
You know it's one of those calls trying to sell you stuff you really don't want or need, and most likely will be a tissue of lies.
It's at this point I tell them "I was having a great day, until you called"...then "Goodbye!"
I had one couple of days ago who had the audacity to tell me he was calling from the Telephone Preference Service, told me how I was still receiving nuisance calls owing to my credit card had expired!
At that juncture, I became extremely rude, told him to f***K off and never call me again.
Anything to scam your card details.
There should be a proper law against it and these firms should be forced to show their number so they can be reported, fined or even better, taken out and shot.
At least I'm still reasonably savvy but many elderly would get taken in and you just know they will be making call after call and there's nothing you can do about it to prevent someone becoming a victim.
Peter

[John-B]

I have found that if I let the phone ring for five rings (just before the answerphone starts) I find that the call is live but doesn't start and I put the phone down. I imagine that the software rings many numbers at the same time and the caller speaks to the first phone that is picked up and mine is one that can't be answered because I was later in a queue.

I could leave it until the answerphone starts and then the call usually cuts off, but then I miss a call that may be valid, so answering after five rings means I can speak to a valid call if it is.

[New Dexter]

Recently I have been offered a divert service. Providing I answer the call the number will be in the system and if they have not withheld their number I can dial 1572. A chirpy female voice tells me to press 1 and then repeats the last number I have answered. The need to answer the number is important as one I have ignored deliberately won't be registered. The moment this process is complete then if they call again then they will be diverted. More importantly those idiots cannot make contact.

Quite why we have had to put up with this rubbish for so long remains a mystery. If I receive a sales call I always answer courteously. I had one from a private health insurance company recently. I "invented" a colleague who takes care of that side of the business and once she said she would call him later in the week I used the divert system.

However, when I hear the "How are you today?" or the usual over-confident rubbish then my manner will change and I wait for the first opportunity to finish the call. I don't believe in being rude but I have come close. However, one day I had a call from someone who said "Hello, how are you?" and I was about to end the call when it turned out to be someone wanting to be a customer. He was surprised at my reaction but I explained that when I heard his greeting it was the sort of greeting that telesales people use. He didn't use it in subsequent calls!

[A.N.Other]

I seem to receive calls on the mobile asking about injuries that I have incurred from my recent accident. I either ask if they can repeat their company name again or if they can tell me who informed them of an accident and straight away they end the call.

[theoldman]

Managed to keep the idiots off my mobile with that Mr. Number app.

[Sydsmith]

Occasionally, when I have the time and have answered a duff call, I pretend to be a frail ignorant person and string them along. I have managed a few 20 minute calls before they twig and drop the line. I had one chap who insisted my computer was corrupted hanging on for almost half an hour, he was very rude when I came clean, trivial fun I know but whilst they are hanging on for me they are not ripping off some other unsuspecting soul.