Heimdall - The Viking guardian of your privacy!

SNAPPLE VIDEO ABOUT FIRST 1864 TELEGRAPH SPAM

Why would you pay for a new VOIP line or landline only to get unsolicited phone calls from people you don't even know? Well this idea exploits the use of a toll-free 1-800 line in USA. A business start up could afford to set this up and offer their services to the public.

First, the 800 number inherently stops any spoofed calls from getting to their (the business model service's) caller-id as they use ANI not CID. Then the service would use a constantly updated global black-list and white-list to allow calls to be answered by their system, a VRU a voice response unit. It then verbally asks for "Extension please...". You say it out loud ("extension 8123") or DTMF dial it. If a valid extension is not entered within the allotted amount of time it hangs up.

If the telephone call appears valid, it does a 3-way call to your private number. The VRU then sends a audio tone over the line to bypass your telephone's ringer. Then when it hears a voice "Hello?" it announces: "Do you wish to take a call from John Doe at 202-555-1234?" It listens for you saying "yes" or "no" or a DTMF 1 or 2. If you don't respond accordingly it terminates the call. If you respond accordingly "YES" it connects the call. However, the VRU stays online to monitor call listening for a DTMF drop code (#777) which means to drop this call and add it to global black-list. When it hears no talking for 5-seconds it will hangup unless you say something or press any DTMF key except #777.

So in conclusion, you give out this 1-800 toll-free number to your friends and family (and you can dial it from a payphone without a coins). And then tell them to ask for or dial your extension accordingly. Your private line answers accordingly. That means you can put an answering machine with remote access too. Just don't use the hangup code #777 in your answering machine access code.

You don't have to change anything different with your private line outgoing calls. Just turn off your telephone's ringer (set ringer to off) on your private line. You never have to answer that line normally unless you just want to hear it or put a deaf-person's ringer lamp on it. Telemarketers will still have the private line number. Who knows how they got it or they are just doing brute-force sequential dialing. This way you can ignore ALL calls to your private number. The service sends you a device that answers EVERY call and listens for the service's audio tone. And then and only then make a ringtone sound happen or a voice saying "You have a call from... !".

You can be assured it is someone thoroughly screened by this service and is someone you really want to talk to. If you setup DIFFERENT extensions for different family and friends, then you can even screen through them too. Like you really don't want to talk to your brother-in-law but your wife doesn't mind talking to him. You give him his own extension to call you with.

The service also allows you to set up customized messages at customized times or days. That way you can really screen unwanted friends and family with a verbal explanation WHY you're not available instead of a rude curt hangup. You would give out a generic extension for people like the phone company, cable company, police, etc. This is no different then giving out your business line that has a PABX operator who asks for an extension.

You probably wont be able to use your private line's built-in voice mail as the service wont be able to interface with it. It can only interface with a private answering machine on the line. This also stops people from hacking your voice mail as convicts in prison seem to be so good at these days. A private answering machine is a harder target as there is only one way to access it.

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