RE: Can't block caller ID in Massachusetts?

["Bill Olson (EDP)" <a-billol@microsoft.com>]

What's worse, is that if you just want to call and get information about
a particular product, they can log you for their marketing database. 

>----------
>From: 	David Mazieres[SMTP:dm@amsterdam.lcs.mit.edu]
>Sent: 	Friday, July 12, 1996 8:55 AM
>To: 	cypherpunks@toad.com
>Subject: 	Can't block caller ID in Massachusetts?
>
>My last phone bill said that Nynex is now giving out people's names in
>addidtion to their phone numbers over caller-id.  I therefore called
>Nynex and told them to block caller-id on my phone line.
>
>They said no problem, but...  They said nothing I can do will block it
>when I call 800 numbers.  "The people with 800 numbers have special
>software, and there is nothing you can do to block your identity when
>calling them.  Not even *67."
>
>Wow.  Maybe I'm not paranoid enough, but I never expected this.  I can
>never again call an 800 number anonymously to get information about
>something unless I go out to a pay phone.  What an incredible
>inconvenience, and how truly depressing.
>
>I know 800 number owners probably used to be able to get lists of
>calling phone numbers on their phone bills, but this is less
>disturbing as it would take significant effort to match up the lists
>after the fact.  I just want to be able to call up companies and say,
>for instance, "If I buy your product, can it do X?" as opposed to, for
>instance, "I'm stuck with your product, can it do X?".  People are
>often more helpful in the former case.  Now, though, they'll know
>exactly who I am before they even say hello.
>
>David
>