Outgoing cell phone message?

[Guest]

For quite some time, I haven't answered my cell phone unless someone texts me first to ask me if it's a good time to call. Cell phone calls which are out of the blue are almost always a waste of time/spam. I'm thinking of changing my outgoing cell phone message as follows, and wanted to run it by you guys to see if it sounds reasonable. "This cell phone isn't answered unless first texted to ask whether this is a good time to call. If you are not a personal friend or family member, your text must indicate both who you are and the nature of the emergency which makes e-mail an inadequate form of communication. Any call from an unknown caller not followed by an explanatory text will be permanently blocked from this number. Thank you for your cooperation."

[+ azdr0710]

nobody I know, or don't know, has EVER texted me first to see if it's ok to call.........I follow this rule: if I want to answer, I do, and if I don't want to, I don't......I realize robo calls and all are frustrating (have been getting a ton lately), but are you now going to have to handle both a text and a call??....you may want to get caller ID if you don't have it already......

 

[Guest]

nobody I know, or don't know, has EVER texted me first to see if it's ok to call........

 

For some time, I have been asking my friends and family to text before calling, and I always text before calling my friends and family, so it won't come as a surprise for many. Just wondering if this message sounds reasonable.

[+ azdr0710]

For some time, I have been asking my friends and family to text before calling, and I always text before calling my friends and family, so it won't come as a surprise for many. Just wondering if this message sounds reasonable.

 

I'd change "emergency which makes e-mail an inadequate form of communication" to "call"..........requesting an email instead of a call is too much to ask for some sincere callers who do, in fact, need to talk to you

 

and get caller ID if you don't have it already.......

[rvwnsd]

A friend had a similar message for a couple of years and suddenly it was gone. When I asked him why the message was gone he said it did nothing to stop random callers but pissed off his family and friends.

[Spursy]

For some time, I have been asking my friends and family to text before calling, and I always text before calling my friends and family, so it won't come as a surprise for many. Just wondering if this message sounds reasonable.

How does one handle the surprise for the unexpected pre-call text?

[+ Just966]

A friend had a similar message for a couple of years and suddenly it was gone. When I asked him why the message was gone he said it did nothing to stop random callers but pissed off his family and friends.

I can imagine it pissing off most callers that would call my cell!

[+ ArVaGuy]

Amongst my close circle of friends, and what little family left alive, we all text prior to calling. ”Is this a good time for a chat?” Or “Call me now, important.” The latter gets the quickest response and is reserved for serious circumstances. This has worked well and pretty much keeps us all well connected.

 

I‘ve intentionally let my voice mail box get full and won’t accept messages as a result. This is also the case at work a full voicemail. Anyone who works closely with me knows to email or IM if they want to talk to me on the phone.

 

Occasionally someone will say to me “I called you but your voicemail was full.” My reply is “ Oh really? Email me first next time.”

 

I get a ton of spam calls on my cell and will look the number up online and more often than not it’s a robo caller or some nuisance caller. All those numbers are then blocked.

[thonglovertx]

I would like for people to message me on facebook to which I will reply on Instagram to them if it is a good time for them to call me, but request an itinerary of the call to be faxed to me at least 1 hour before said call for my review......ridiculous- yeah.......

[handiacefailure]

What pisses me off is all these spam callers who spoof their numbers to be local numbers. I only have a cell and wish caller ID would show the caller name instead of just the number and the city. I am job hunting right now and don't want to miss a call from a potentional employer and if it's a true emergency about a family member the hospital, etc will call not text. I wish there was a law against spoofing a phone number from a telemarketer to be a local number and require robo calls and telemarketers to have a phone number that is in the area code they are calling from.

[MikeBiDude]

For quite some time, I haven't answered my cell phone unless someone texts me first to ask me if it's a good time to call. Cell phone calls which are out of the blue are almost always a waste of time/spam. I'm thinking of changing my outgoing cell phone message as follows, and wanted to run it by you guys to see if it sounds reasonable. "This cell phone isn't answered unless first texted to ask whether this is a good time to call. If you are not a personal friend or family member, your text must indicate both who you are and the nature of the emergency which makes e-mail an inadequate form of communication. Any call from an unknown caller not followed by an explanatory text will be permanently blocked from this number. Thank you for your cooperation."

Silly

[Spursy]

What pisses me off is all these spam callers who spoof their numbers to be local numbers. I only have a cell and wish caller ID would show the caller name instead of just the number and the city. I am job hunting right now and don't want to miss a call from a potentional employer and if it's a true emergency about a family member the hospital, etc will call not text. I wish there was a law against spoofing a phone number from a telemarketer to be a local number and require robo calls and telemarketers to have a phone number that is in the area code they are calling from.

You might consider the Hiya app. The app uses a large database of spam callers and will, depending on your preferences, notify you as the call rings or block the call and send it straight to voice mail without ringing. It also has a local exchange number spoofing function that would be right up your alley. You can whitelist your contacts so it never blocks someone you know. As for legitimate callers who aren't in my contacts, I don't think I've ever had one blocked; the worst case scenario is they would go to voicemail. I use the iPhone version. I assume there's an Android version, but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's a pretty good app.

[Guest]

For quite some time, I haven't answered my cell phone unless someone texts me first to ask me if it's a good time to call. Cell phone calls which are out of the blue are almost always a waste of time/spam. I'm thinking of changing my outgoing cell phone message as follows, and wanted to run it by you guys to see if it sounds reasonable. "This cell phone isn't answered unless first texted to ask whether this is a good time to call. If you are not a personal friend or family member, your text must indicate both who you are and the nature of the emergency which makes e-mail an inadequate form of communication. Any call from an unknown caller not followed by an explanatory text will be permanently blocked from this number. Thank you for your cooperation."

Personally, I think it’s arrogant and pretentious. And that message seems a bit long. It would seem to me there are other ways, using the phone’s programming, to screen your callers without sending the wrong message.

 

isn’t it much easier to just not answer the phone if you can’t talk or don’t want to answer?

[+ poolboy48220]

I rarely answer calls from numbers that aren't in my contacts. Otherwise, I pick up if I'm somewhere I can take a call. My iPhone has started identifying some callers as "potential spam" on caller ID.

 

On a lighter note, my sister's in Nashville (and safe, the tornadoes were in another part of town). Her husband texted my father that they were okay. My father has a cell phone as well as his land line; but I'm certain it's turned off, not charged, and I'd put good money that he's not sure where it is.

[Guest]

I'd change "emergency which makes e-mail an inadequate form of communication" to "call"..........requesting an email instead of a call is too much to ask for some sincere callers who do, in fact, need to talk to you

 

and get caller ID if you don't have it already.......

Thanks. I'll make the change you suggest. I do get frustrated by people who feel a need to call when the matter really could be dealt with by a simple e-mail, but I guess I might as well just put "call" as you suggest, and, if the issue doesn't have urgency, advise the person to e-mail. Great suggestion. And, yes, I have caller ID. But I'm not going to pull my phone out of my pocket while I'm seeing patients or otherwise occupied. I will look at a text when it's a more opportune time.

[LookingAround]

Too much drama. Just answer the phone please.

[MikeBiDude]

I rarely answer calls from numbers that aren't in my contacts.

In the iPhone you can silence “unknown callers” not in your contacts. That has cut my spam calls down dramatically more than any app I’ve tried.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

If you want more control over your permanent mobile number, I'd also suggest looking into YouMail.

 

https://www.youmail.com/

[+ Charlie]

My landline carrier also identifies a call as "potential spam," and I always let those calls go to voicemail. They rarely do leave a message.

 

I rarely answer calls from numbers that aren't in my contacts. Otherwise, I pick up if I'm somewhere I can take a call. My iPhone has started identifying some callers as "potential spam" on caller ID.

 

On a lighter note, my sister's in Nashville (and safe, the tornadoes were in another part of town). Her husband texted my father that they were okay. My father has a cell phone as well as his land line; but I'm certain it's turned off, not charged, and I'd put good money that he's not sure where it is.

[+ poolboy48220]

I do get frustrated by people who feel a need to call when the matter really could be dealt with by a simple e-mail,

I am very much in agreement with you about that at work. Outside of work, not so much.

 

And don't get me started about people who call you five minutes after they send you an email, to discuss what they just emailed you, either in or out of work.

[+ PapaTony]

You might consider the Hiya app. The app uses a large database of spam callers and will, depending on your preferences, notify you as the call rings or block the call and send it straight to voice mail without ringing. It also has a local exchange number spoofing function that would be right up your alley. You can whitelist your contacts so it never blocks someone you know. As for legitimate callers who aren't in my contacts, I don't think I've ever had one blocked; the worst case scenario is they would go to voicemail. I use the iPhone version. I assume there's an Android version, but I'm not sure. Anyway, it's a pretty good app.

Agreed. I have HIYA on my iPhone and it works well; not perfect but good enough

 

i don’t understand the point of the long message setting forth rules and conditions...so pedantic.

if a call comes in with no caller ID or an unrecognized number simply don’t answer. If it’s an important call a voicemail message will be left, if not then you did the right thing by ignoring it.

[+ pdxleo]

MY cell, which I pay for, is for my convenience, and I'll answer it or not based on my choice to do so. After a few months of my employer attempting to contact me in off hours, with no success, decided to provide me with a company phone, on the expectation that I will answer when work needs my attention. Anyone else who expects me to answer any call at any time, is gonna have to pony up and pay for a phone for me themselves!

[BluDay]

Once we always answered because calling was rare (think rotary dials), then we got answer machines and picked up if we wanted to talk to the caller, and caller ID to help. Now cell phones mean most of us can't use the pretext of not having it with us. Times have changed, and texting before a call is common.

 

I'd suggest changing the tone of your outgoing message "I do not answer calls from numbers I do not recognize. If you would like to be assured of speaking with me, please text first so I will know who is ringing." A bit shorter as well.

[Guest]

My landline carrier also identifies a call as "potential spam," and I always let those calls go to voicemail. They rarely do leave a message.

It identifies some calls as potential spam, but many get through without being identified as such. Also, when I answer my phone (at home, for example), if someone responds with "May I speak to Unicorn?" without identifying themselves, I immediately hang up. It's the "Don't tell--> Don't ask" policy.

[+ nycman]

You sound high maintenance.