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You'd still miss out, like with the surgeon's example of a patient calling. It doesn't need a technological solution at all. In the UK and Germany, there were

You'd still miss out, like with the surgeon's example of a patient calling. It doesn't need a technological solution at all. In the UK and Germany, there were some calls, but it was rare, not even once a month. Do-not-call lists are enforced, and e.g. the ICO can fine directors of companies, not just the companies. Reporting nuisance calls can be done on a website, immediately. Then again, in the US, everything requires a phone number, which is problem number 1, even having mail sent to my house. Why exactly? Second, I would pay for a wildcard phone number service that forwards to my mobile, and lets me track leaked info like I do with wildcard email domains.

michaelt 8y ago
The UK system is good, but there are still robocalls and scam calls occasionally. If you can make your scam calls from a foreign telephone network with spoofed caller ID, or your scam is good enough you can profitably do it from prepaid anonymous SIMs, regulators claim they're powerless.
- guitarbill 8y ago
  Agree, there's still room for blocking tech. Blocking calls from outside the country is simpler though. I still think privacy laws are more effective. The only time I've had really bad robocalls was when I transferred a domain. Now, ICANN are muppets and wilfully ignore GDPR et al. Okay, so WHOIS "protection", right? But insultingly, transferring domains doesn't work with WHOIS protection, and you need to supply a real number. (Oh well, at least in the UK I can still buy pre-paid SIM cards with only cash in every major supermarket chain.)
clhodapp 8y ago
> Then again, in the US, everything requires a phone number, which is problem number 1, even having mail sent to my house. Why exactly? So they have the option to SMS-spam you and resell your info (thus creating robocalls), of course. Even the coffee shop near my office wants me to register with them for a "rewards card" now. It's disgusting.
GordonS 8y ago
I'm in the UK, and while it's true that almost all calls from within the UK have ceased, I still periodically get a lot from outside of the UK. Usually they seem to be from India, and are pulling a tech support scam, claiming to be from Microsoft, my ISP, BT etc
logfromblammo 8y ago
Patient calls surgeon's professional number, and their office switchboard forwards it to the surgeon from the "Incoming Patient Call" number, which is whitelisted in the surgeon's phone. Why would a patient be dialing their doctor directly, anyway? Any reason I can think of would still allow for the physician to whitelist that person in their contact list. Most of the time, the doc would probably want the call recorded and transcribed for the medical records, and also billed to the patient's insurance as a patient consultation. A direct call couldn't do that without an app to help out. All of the "business" contacts in my phone are for the main dial-in number for a company. I don't need to dial direct to Joe the mechanic or Trudy in accounts receivable or Jean-Pierre on the help desk. The business's automated switchboard can enforce business hours and vacations, and still connect me to whomever I need to speak to for that call. And if an employee needs to contact me, they don't even need to know my phone number. They can speed dial the company employee outbound number and punch in my work ticket number, and be connected automatically, from the company number. The identity authority is delegated to the individual business, instead of the proven-untrustworthy phone company. It isn't that difficult for a business to set up their own call-management server these days.
craftyguy 8y ago
> You'd still miss out, like with the surgeon's example of a patient calling. No you wouldn't. It would go to voicemail where they could leave a voicemail. Then you return the call if you want.

michaelt 8y ago

The UK system is good, but there are still robocalls and scam calls occasionally. If you can make your scam calls from a foreign telephone network with spoofed caller ID, or your scam is good enough you can profitably do it from prepaid anonymous SIMs, regulators claim they're powerless.

guitarbill 8y ago
Agree, there's still room for blocking tech. Blocking calls from outside the country is simpler though. I still think privacy laws are more effective. The only time I've had really bad robocalls was when I transferred a domain. Now, ICANN are muppets and wilfully ignore GDPR et al. Okay, so WHOIS "protection", right? But insultingly, transferring domains doesn't work with WHOIS protection, and you need to supply a real number. (Oh well, at least in the UK I can still buy pre-paid SIM cards with only cash in every major supermarket chain.)

clhodapp 8y ago

> Then again, in the US, everything requires a phone number, which is problem number 1, even having mail sent to my house. Why exactly? So they have the option to SMS-spam you and resell your info (thus creating robocalls), of course. Even the coffee shop near my office wants me to register with them for a "rewards card" now. It's disgusting.

GordonS 8y ago

I'm in the UK, and while it's true that almost all calls from within the UK have ceased, I still periodically get a lot from outside of the UK. Usually they seem to be from India, and are pulling a tech support scam, claiming to be from Microsoft, my ISP, BT etc

logfromblammo 8y ago

Patient calls surgeon's professional number, and their office switchboard forwards it to the surgeon from the "Incoming Patient Call" number, which is whitelisted in the surgeon's phone. Why would a patient be dialing their doctor directly, anyway? Any reason I can think of would still allow for the physician to whitelist that person in their contact list. Most of the time, the doc would probably want the call recorded and transcribed for the medical records, and also billed to the patient's insurance as a patient consultation. A direct call couldn't do that without an app to help out. All of the "business" contacts in my phone are for the main dial-in number for a company. I don't need to dial direct to Joe the mechanic or Trudy in accounts receivable or Jean-Pierre on the help desk. The business's automated switchboard can enforce business hours and vacations, and still connect me to whomever I need to speak to for that call. And if an employee needs to contact me, they don't even need to know my phone number. They can speed dial the company employee outbound number and punch in my work ticket number, and be connected automatically, from the company number. The identity authority is delegated to the individual business, instead of the proven-untrustworthy phone company. It isn't that difficult for a business to set up their own call-management server these days.

craftyguy 8y ago

> You'd still miss out, like with the surgeon's example of a patient calling. No you wouldn't. It would go to voicemail where they could leave a voicemail. Then you return the call if you want.