Charges for "non-published" landline numbers

[Ken]

About 20 years ago the Dispatchers for the company had 6 phone lines into there desk. all in sequence 01 thru 06 and there was always a phone call stating they were being ramdonaly called to offer some dum service or beg for some greatly needed humanitary give away program.and it would start at 01 and continue through 06 almost every time.
A phone number not listed was called because roto dial machines.
Now get the same calls on the cell phone.
Notice no one answers a phone any more put it in "mail box" and will call back if they want to talk.
ken

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Exactly what is the "service" the phone company is providing me by not publishing my number?? I am SAVING THEM the cost of printing my name, address, and number in fifty bazillion directories...:laughing:

No doubt they have to spend $4.95 per month in employee time looking up the information they need to mail me my bill....:laughing:

Well they must be providing some service / benefit / whatever you want to call it. if you think having an unlisted number is of no benefit - why do you keep paying?

Part of the "service" is the Operator / computer has to tell information callers that your number is unlisted. All the listed numbers go into the "phone book." They sell advertising - more numbers more revenue - less numbers - unlisted like yours - less advertising.

Do these things, plus what others have mentioned and whatever other reasons they have actually cost the phone company $60.00 per year? Probably not? Is it worth $60 a year to you to have an unlisted number? Apparently so. For whatever reason, it appears you are willing to pay at least that amount - otherwise cancel the service and have a listed number like most other people.

If you want it - pay for it - don't expect the rest of subscribers should subsidize the cost on your behalf.

 

[cttractor]

The historical reason for the fee for unpublished and unlisted numbers was that people trying to contact you would not find your number in the book and would then call information to get it. If your number is unpublished, it's not in the phone book, but is available through information. It it's unlisted, then even information doesn't have it in their directory and so they can't give it out at all. Either way, information operators spent time answering a question that would not require a phone company employee if you have the number listed.

These days, many phone companies are charging when you call information. But they have handily not dropped the charges for having such numbers and are now collecting on both ends.

These days, the only time it even makes sense to have an unlisted number is if it is a new number assigned to you. If you take your existing number and have it unlisted, the directory is already out there with your name and address on the Internet, so you gain no privacy, but still get the privilege of paying the fee. And telemarketers dialing machines try every number except those in the Do Not Call database, so if you're not in there, you can still get bothered even with an unlisted number.

At least there is still no cell phone directory and the FCC does not allow one to be published. Though, telemarketers and every company that builds and sells directory databases are pushing to get one.

 

[JDgreen227]

The historical reason for the fee for unpublished and unlisted numbers was that people trying to contact you would not find your number in the book and would then call information to get it. If your number is unpublished, it's not in the phone book, but is available through information. It it's unlisted, then even information doesn't have it in their directory and so they can't give it out at all. Either way, information operators spent time answering a question that would not require a phone company employee if you have the number listed.

These days, many phone companies are charging when you call information. But they have handily not dropped the charges for having such numbers and are now collecting on both ends.

These days, the only time it even makes sense to have an unlisted number is if it is a new number assigned to you. If you take your existing number and have it unlisted, the directory is already out there with your name and address on the Internet, so you gain no privacy, but still get the privilege of paying the fee. And telemarketers dialing machines try every number except those in the Do Not Call database, so if you're not in there, you can still get bothered even with an unlisted number.

At least there is still no cell phone directory and the FCC does not allow one to be published. Though, telemarketers and every company that builds and sells directory databases are pushing to get one.

Thanks for the info, but one of the MAJOR reasons a non-published number is handy is that I cannot be located very readily with a search engine...my wife pays the phone bill and SHE is the one that wants the non-published number...not me..go figger.

 

[PILOON]

Because thieves would call to check if someone was home we wanted to be unlisted but not at $5./ mth.
The phone co sales person suggested this alternative. (free)
We listed as R.Jones and no address at all!
Problem solved.

 

[JDgreen227]

Because thieves would call to check if someone was home we wanted to be unlisted but not at $5./ mth.
The phone co sales person suggested this alternative. (free)
We listed as R.Jones and no address at all!
Problem solved.

Thanks...gotta tell the wife that.

 

[cttractor]

Thanks for the info, but one of the MAJOR reasons a non-published number is handy is that I cannot be located very readily with a search engine...my wife pays the phone bill and SHE is the one that wants the non-published number...not me..go figger.

That's a good reason. These days, you can get someone's unpublished number on the Internet if they ever had it listed.

Also, I accidently reversed the explanation. Unpublished or non-published is the one that even directory assistance doesn't have while unlisted just means it's not listed in the book, but can be obtained from information -- sorry for the confusion.

 

[cttractor]

Because thieves would call to check if someone was home we wanted to be unlisted but not at $5./ mth.
The phone co sales person suggested this alternative. (free)
We listed as R.Jones and no address at all!
Problem solved.

That is a great idea!

 

[Bird]

That's a good reason. These days, you can get someone's unpublished number on the Internet if they ever had it listed.

Also, I accidently reversed the explanation. Unpublished or non-published is the one that even directory assistance doesn't have while unlisted just means it's not listed in the book, but can be obtained from information -- sorry for the confusion.

You may very well be right about that explanation, at the current time, but years ago "unlisted" meant that directory assistance would not have the number either. In 1969, as a detective sergeant working burglaries and thefts, I could call the phone company's security office and they could give me unlisted numbers. In later years, more formal procedures had to be used for even the police to obtain unlisted numbers.

 

[JDgreen227]

You may very well be right about that explanation, at the current time, but years ago "unlisted" meant that directory assistance would not have the number either. In 1969, as a detective sergeant working burglaries and thefts, I could call the phone company's security office and they could give me unlisted numbers. In later years, more formal procedures had to be used for even the police to obtain unlisted numbers.

When we began paying for an unpublished number back in 1993, our phone provider CHANGED our number to one that had formerly been nonpublished but was no longer being used by any household.