Re: Can't block caller ID in Massachusetts?

[Martin Minow <minow@apple.com>]

David Mazieres <dm@amsterdam.lcs.mit.edu> notes that he can't prevent
his phone number from going to 800 number providers.

800 numbers are, effectively, collect phone calls. The receiving
party is paying all call costs, including a surcharge for the
collect and number delivery services. Even if you make a "normal"
collect call to a residential number, the calling phone number will
appear on the receiver's phone bill.

That said, there are a few additional points that may be of interest:

-- even if David's name is not delivered to the 800 (or caller ID)
receiver, there are a variety of commercial services that can
link a published phone number with it's owner's name and address.
Non-published numbers can be linked to a (fairly small) geographical
area, giving useful economic and marketing information.

-- a large commercial site can link phone number to name and address
while the phone is ringing. This lets them do a variety of triage on the
call. For example:
  -- Never seen this number? Good demographics? Must be a new customer.
     Answer quickly.
  -- Ordered lots from us before? Answer quickly.
  -- Whiner, always complaining? "Your call will be answered by the next
     available representative." Play 20 minutes of Gershwin.
  -- Bad demographics? "Your call will be ..." Play 10 minutes of Gershwin.
And so forth.

Martin Minow
minow@apple.com