![[screaming operator logo 46K]](images/nopark.jpg)
This page describes:
This page was originally written to describe the Zapper device but I've also included other devices, such as the mailboxing telephone answering machines.
Some of these devices use caller ID and SIT tones, which work
with the North American telephone system and other systems conforming to
the North American standards.
TeleZapper is a device which emits a SIT tone which tells the telescum's "call progress detection" equipment that they have a disconnected number. This results in a disconnect from anyone using automated equipment. After approximately 3 attempts from each of the major telemarketing operations, your number is removed from their master lists.
$30 at Radio Shack and other outlets. Also at www.dialerbuddy.com where they have a $30 and a $50 model that appear to do the same thing.
Yes. While predictive dialers can be programmed to ignore the Zapper but that takes away their ability to automatically delete bad numbers.
The Zapper will not work with an external "voice messaging" service. It requires a real, live answering machine. So spend the extra bucks and get a real answerin' machine. NOTE: Get a digital answering machine. Telescum are starting to record messages. Digital machines have a "delete" button.
It will also work for households in which most calls are answered.
It is possible to confuse predictive dialer software with a false SIT tone. The Zapper generates SIT tones which tell the predictive dialing software that yours is a non-working number.
The device senses when a phone goes off-hook (voltage drop), presumably after a ring (50 volts), and emits a SIT tone. Then the answering machine or live human answers the phone. The manufacturer recommends a 2 second delay but that's just to allow the completion of the SIT tones. You can talk immediately after the SIT tones.
As I indicated, it won't work for external "voice mail". This is because with external voice mail, the phone never goes "off hook".
Some of these are also mentioned above.
The SIT tones can be inserted into the answering machine message itself.
The following is a .wav file for an invalid number SIT tone: errorbeeps1.wav (15k), from www.thisisarecording.com If it doesn't play clearly directly from the net, try downloading it. Here's a digitally synthesized (45k) sample.
An "Intercept SIT tone" is what you initially hear when you reach a North American number which is out of service or otherwise invalid.
Anecdotal reports are that the first beep controls predictive dialer response. This contradicts Dialogic's literature, and so I recommend this only if you don't want the three tones.
Caller ID Intercept or Caller ID Screening is the
ability to control the answering machine according to the caller ID
output. In North America, telescum calls generally carry the caller
indication, "unavailable" or "out-of-area".
(This indication is shared with most T-1 lines and some phonecards, and
simply indicates that the caller's equipment doesn't provide the
caller ID channel.)
It is important that the caller ID intercept be able to direct
specified callers to an answering machine. Fortunately, this seems to be
a characteristic of both devices on the market.
The Casio Phonemate TA-140/TA-145 has been discontinued, and as of 5-03 could not be found on eBay. Fortunately, the Nortel 9516CW, described below and the Radio Shack mailboxing answering machine are now available at similar prices.
These are the Nortel Meridian M-9516 12 Box Caller ID Phone (sometimes labeled Sprint), and Radio Shack TAD 3816 speakerphone.
update: Similar units are now being sold by Radio Shack, both with the speakerphone like the original Nortel model, and in an answering machine-only version. The RS branded phones are not Nortel phones, but do have the mailboxing function.
The M-9516 12 Box Caller ID Phone is able to sort calls by caller ID classification. The original Nortel device has 12 mailboxes, so particular groups of callers can get their own boxes, and presumably the owner can selectively review messages from the different mailboxes when calling remotely. The significant aspect of this is that "unavailable" calls get dumped into their own mailbox. "Unavailable" are usually T-1 lines, and most telemarketers come in that way. The different mailboxes can have different messages.
The newer Nortel Meridian M-9516CW 9 Box Caller ID Phone has caller ID on call waiting capabilities. If you may get call waiting in the future, get this one, or the Radio Shack device:
Brand: RadioShack
Catalog #: 43-3816
cost $60.00
The RS phones are different from the Nortel units, but RS's text form product manuals still identify "Nortel 9516". The Radio Shack phones don't take daughter units and they're not multiline phones.
RS also has the same thing as an answering machine without the speakerphone, for about $10 less, but I recommend the one with the speakerphone.
Mailboxing phones still are very useful for particular persistant callers. Once identified by caller ID, these calls can be channelled to SIT tones or whatever message desired.
The following links may be inactive:
All calls are answered by an answering machine, but callers who know the "secret code" (and have a touch tone phone) get through. In the anti-telescum format, the code is verbally stated on the answering message.
e.g., "To speak with the Schmuck family, please dial 123."
The "punchthrough" feature is found on various answering machines, and is a standard feature of most fax machines and some computer answering machine programs.
There's a different "punchthough" function which permits callers to interrupt the message before it's complete. Most tone operated machines have this second "punchthough" feature.
Telescum use predictive dialers and therefore generally do not hear the code. (Telescum using war dialing systems and recorders to generate leads for manual dialing are blocked at the automated call.)
This is an answering machine program which works through the computer's modem. Since most modems are Caller ID capable, the program is able to provide the caller ID "mailboxing" function, with discrete messages.
www.voicecallcentral.com/advancedcallcenter.htm - Advanced Call Center software. I think it's $40.00
The website lists the "AT" commands and instructions to verify
whether your modem has caller ID capability. If you can load a
terminal program (Telix, Hyperterm, etc.) you can test these. Otherwise
use their demo. (Your modem's caller ID function does not give you
caller ID. That's enabled by your dialtone provider.)
This is sometimes called a "fax-telephone" feature.
Some fax machines (e.g., Brother 600/700 series) have a capability of automatic operation. If no fax "hailing signal" (beep tone) is received, the fax machine rings through its speaker (i.e., rings like a telephone) after it answers the phone. The caller hears a secondary ringback that sounds like a UK ring. The person called then picks up the phone and talks. Basically the fax machine is acting like an answering machine without the ability to transmit or receive a voice message.
The purpose is to allow someone who is expecting a fax call to receive an intervening voice call. This is useful for people with "on-request" fax machines in a home office, and people who wish to receive occasional voice calls on their fax line. Therefore, it's a common feature on home-use fax machines.
This is different connecting a TAD to the fax machine. This is different from "remote signaling" of the fax machine.
Because of the bahaviour of these "fax-telephone" machines, predictive dialers report the line as "out-of-order". Three attempts and you're number's been blacklisted! (I have not tested this against predictive dialers, so this assessment is based on technical knowledge only. Both the pause in the ringback and the UK-style ringback sound should generate "error" flags on predictive dialers.)
This use of the fax machine is practical if:
The details vary with dialtone providers, but in general, all calls coming in "blocked", "unavailable" or the equivalent get intercepted by automated equipment. The caller receives a recording announcing the intercept, and is requested to identify him/herself. After identification, the user (the called party) hears a distinctive ring while the caller is placed on hold.
If the user picks up, the user hears the identification, and chooses between "accept", "reject", or "reject with 'Add me to your Do Not Call list.'" The call is either placed or a message is given to the caller.
If the user doesn't respond, the caller is put through in approximately 20 seconds, which allows use of an answering machine.
A bypass code can be provided by the user to known callers to allow them
to bypass the intercept. This is useful, should friends and family call
from a T-1 line or calling card. (The "bypass code" for
caller&ID blocked phones is "1182" before dialing the number!)
Unfortunately, this is still in the "a bunch of junk RS parts" stage. But it seems a voicemodem TeleCrapper (or combination TeleCrapper - answering machine) is a short step away.
The TeleCrapper is an automated verbal script program which provides unattended responses to telemarketers. It responds to caller ID to load a stack of .wav files. It detects silence and uses the .wav files engage the telemarketer in conversation. Instructions available at www.pagerealm.com/tc2k (the TeleCrapper)
All of this is recorded and is a lot more amusing than listening to telemarketers on my phone try to talk to the recording of my dog.
The TeleCrapper website includes some sample recordings using two different stacks of .wav files.
Requires a caller ID-capable voice modem. (Most 33.6
and higher, but caller ID capability on modems is largely
undocumented because it isn't generally used.)
site first posted November 3, 1996; this page 1999
rev. October 9, 2007. This page copyright 1999, Stan Protigal
This website can be found by searching for "The Telemarketing Scum
Page" on a search engine.
