Calling card troubles

“I use a Wal-Mart calling card for my long distance. I have my phone programmed so I just hit one button to dial in; I hear the command and punch a second button that plays the card number; and then I get the third command and dial whatever number I want.

Simple enough, eh? Well, I've got a question if there is some diabolical scheme out there that's prejudiced against calling card usage.

I've called one number and at times I get a comment like this: "This party has privacy blah blah.... You need to either give your number or say your name, so the person you're calling knows blah blah." You get the idea.

I thought this was a problem on the end of the person I was calling, so I asked him about it, if he had some privacy thing on his phone. He said no, at least not that he knew of.

It happens intermittently. But then I found out it was not just on his end.

I tried to call a local woman, about 10 miles away, on a long distance call. I got a similar message from her provider.

Ok, so now I'm starting to wonder. These are some thoughts I had:

1. Wal-Mart or ATT (who actually offers the cards) do this to drive a person nuts and to use up your calling card time on this crap. (lol... see, I am perturbed!!)

2. Other phone companies are doing this, much for the same reason, especially since their long distance services are most likely losing money due to calling cards and cell phone usage.

I dunno....... any ideas??

I usually hang up when I get the privacy crap, although one time I did "say your (my) name" and was told on the other end the phone rang ONCE and then no more.

I tried it this morning. I said my name and pressed whatever number the voice prompt told me to after doing that. Then the prompt said, we are contacting... we are contacting. I couldn't hear the phone ring or anything. Then, it said something like, we have reached your party, please leave a message. Which I did, totally unsure if I even reached the person, cuz I never heard a personal message on an answering machine (although it does then ring into a voice mail set up)

Was that clear as mud?? LOL! Anyhoo, does this happen to others with calling cards? I can understand they're 800 numbers, so people would like to know who's behind them.

But, if this is something that will continually be happening, it will make me think about my calling card usage and possibly about some other cheap long distance.”

“Lizs, the only thing I can think of along those lines is a similar thing with a few people I know. Now, these are people that do have the privacy thing on their phone. So, in order to get through, I have to dial *82, then I get a dial tone and can go through with the normal dial up. Not sure if this applies, but may be worth a try...”

“That would drive me crazy. I hate talking on the phone anyway, so I'd probably haveta kill it.

I use onesuite.com.
I can load minutes and view my call history online.”

“oh yeah, it's 2.9 cents a minute and I haven't been bugged by any of that privacy stuff yet.”

“I've had that happen with people who have caller id. The stoopid id machine doesn't recognize the calling card number and won't accept the call. I hate it.”

“Is star82 a local thing here or will that work in your calling area, Sass?”

“I thought you were gonna be having the same problem i was last night... my wal-mart/att calling card wouldn't recognize that i had entered my card number after pushing my speed dial numbers... no big deal really, but it got annoying after a while.”

“Lizs: Its not a conspiracy. Its a caller-ID glitch. My dad uses a card to call me and my cell phone's ID doesn't register it as him - normally some strange number with an odd area code. I know its him so I answer. However, some ID programs restrict unrecognized numbers and since it shows the card's number instead of yours, it gets blocked.”

“Oops. Sass answered before I could finish typing. Dang work interfering with TT!!!”

“It might be the caller id thing - the person may have anonymous call block on his caller id plan.”

“I don't know Tree, what's that do? I'll give it a try if it will help foil the ider!”

“It gives you a dial tone and bypasses the privacy message. Then you proceed with normal dial up of the #...”

“Twiggy, I glanced at that onesuite thing... will have to look more thoroughly later. How long have you had it?

2.9 cents would rule! The Wal-Mart card if 5 cents, while I've heard Sam's Club is 3 cents. (but I'm no Sam's Club member)”

“Hey lizs, it's probably that you keep calling paranoid people (and you know who you are) with caller ID.

No conspiracy here, move along please, move along...”

“LOL... it's weird, too, in that this only just started happening, say, in February. Never had it happen before then with any numbers I called.”

“All of the people you stalk caught on at the same time...”

“I've used it since December lizs. A guy in my office told me about it and he's had it for over a year.”