Not sure if many people know this, but next week a new service goes live that allows anyone to contact you on your mobile. The website says they won't give mobile numbers out, but it's a thin end of the wedge.
The website in questions is http://www.118800.co.uk (sorry, can't do links), and you can make yourself ex directory if you don't want this invasion of your privacy or service.

I don't think this is a con or scam – I guess we'll find out soon enough……

As I understand no cold calling company will use it as the costs are too prohibitive.

at the moment they're prohibitive, but just wait for the market forces to work.

You could always just not answer.

Get TPS registered then.

You could always just not answer.

Thats what your landline is for, surely. Only cold callers call your landline, so you never answer it. Your mobile is for people you actually know and want to speak to.

🙂

They only give it out if you agree – they contact you first to allow the requestor to have your number IIRC

Like Pieface says. I think you get a text saying "BT/Your Ex/The Hot Girl You've Been Stalking/Emily Batty wants to talk to you. Can we give them your number?"

No biggie I don't think

They only give it out if you agree – they contact you first to allow the requestor to have your number IIRC

As I understand they do the complete opposite, and make it unsuprisingly awkward to avoid being contacted. Could be completely wrong though, this was on the radio a couple of weeks back and they might have changed the policy by now.

Cold callers? Great!! I don't get many calls on my phone! I'll look popular!

ill do what i do on the house phone – tell them the person that they are looking for is deceased and to stop calling me ….

While we're on the subject.

I get a few texts along the lines of "Babe, fun meeting you last night, call me on [number], Amy x", to which I reply (as courtesy demands) "I think you have a wrong number, sorry".

Are these genuine wrong numbers, a scam in which I get charged for responding to the text message or a scam in which I get screwed if I call the number? They are inevitably not girls who have actually enjoyed meeting me…

as above – register with the telephone preference service. tps.org
you can also register with the mail preference service to reduce junk mail too. all legit companies carrying out direct mailing and cold calling are subscribers to a voluntary code of conduct meaning they won't fire stuff at you if you have opted out using the above.

if this is correct I'm not bothered at all – probably useful

you can request to be ex-directory if required……see below sent by our IT dept

Subject: MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBER DIRECTORY SERVICE, 118800.CO.UK

A number of you might be aware that from next Monday, July 13 a new mobile telephone number directory service comes into operation, 118800.co.uk.

Details can be viewed on the BBC News website at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/working_lunch/8091621.stm

Some people might not wish to have their personal or work mobile telephone number listed within this service.

If you want to have your number(s) marked as ex-directory, you can elect to have your number removed by visiting the following web site http://www.118800.co.uk/removeme/remove.html and following the simple instructions given. Simply complete the on-line form and have your mobile with you and when you get the text with the 5 digit code, enter it straight away and you will then be advised that you have been made ex-directory.

Thats what your landline is for, surely. Only cold callers call your landline, so you never answer it.

Not on mine they don't the odd that does don't hang around once you mention TPS.

^ Exactly.

Or do this…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=GB&v=J5z4Vs26-TI

Once upon a time, nearly everyone with a phone had their number, name & address listed in a book called a "Telephone Directory".
What's changed now that makes you so effing paranoid?
I'd really like to be able to look people's numbers up if I don't know their number. It's a shame it's not mandatory.

Nothing to do with paranoia. I just don't want new windows, a new internets with a million megabits or a new phone with free ring dings.

I'll call them if I need them.

What's changed is that now everyone who has something sh*te to sell can make use of your phone number, calling at inconvenient times. I would prefer my phone to be used by people I know, rather than "Colin, from India". I am on the TPS for my landline, and don't get bothered, I also don't want to be bothered when I am out and about.

Of course, if people aren't fussed, don't reply to this post. If you are, I have provided some information that may be useful to you.

What's changed now that makes you so effing paranoid?

Well I think you should read what cold calling is.

large418, this is from the BBC link:

To unsubscribe, you can either click on the ex directory button on the their web homepage, or you can text the letter 'E' to 118800 from the mobile phone you want to be made ex-directory. 118800 will send you an SMS message confirming you've been taken off.

isn't that easier than TPS ??

Moses – we got rid of our landline (except for BB – we have no phone connected to it) because of marketing calls that originate outside of the UK (usually US auto-diallers – which TPS cant protect you from). Mrs S and I only use mobiles now and havent had to worry about marketing calls because our number isnt listed in a widely available database anywhere.

Unfortunately that 118 website is down so I cant request to be excluded.
And what if they dont have your number but when you ask to be excluded, but then they now do! Would you trust them?

Funnily enough, a couple of years ago or so I used to get texts several times a week, sometimes per day, reqesting records to be played or answering competitions for some crappy local radio station up in the midlands who had a similar no. to mine, instead of one of those five digit quick text no's. I got to the point of having a standard reply that said something like 'sorry, that service is not available. Please check your number and try again'. Thankfully the stupid requests dried up a while back. That's the sort of nuisance that this service can cause.

large418, this is from the BBC link:

To unsubscribe, you can either click on the ex directory button on the their web homepage, or you can text the letter 'E' to 118800 from the mobile phone you want to be made ex-directory. 118800 will send you an SMS message confirming you've been taken off.

isn't that easier than TPS ??

You're missing the point of TPS I think 😉

I don't want to have to un-subscribe. I would like not to be subscribed in the first place.

I'm a bit late with the outrage. That is outrageous, can't even log onto the website to take my number off, outrageous. If that sounds a bit like an unconsidered knee-jerk reaction, that's probably because it is. I'll be back later with a more cogent response.

my mobile number has been on the front page of the Bog Trotters website for 5 years and I only get people pestering me about bike rides:-)

trail_rat – Member

ill do what i do on the house phone – tell them the person that they are looking for is deceased and to stop calling me ….

😆 😆 😆

My mum gets frequent calls on her landline asking to speak to my dad who died 4.5 years ago. They keep asking if he wants to sell his timeshare. He never had a timeshare!

We registered with the TPS well before he died and have been telling these companies until we're blue in the face that he never had a timeshare, my father is dead and to not call us ever again! They aren't UK based so there's nothing we can do to stop their calls.

And still the calls keep coming! At first it was upsetting, but she has got used to it now. I'm thinking we should ask them to make us an offer and send a cheque. 😀

As this is mobile 118 service is a commercial venture, I wouldn't trust a single assurance from them.

The thing ken got from his IT dept was sent out by our office manager too. I have a feeling the company did it themselves to harvest more numbers. I'm registered with the TPS and will wait to see if I start to get spam before clicking on any links and confirming my details.

You're missing the point of TPS I think 😉

Aphex, you're right – there are no parallels between the 2 services and their potential effects on unsolicited calls. More specifically I was wrong to draw a comparison with initiating TPS just because others had mentioned it in the context of this thread.

🙁 :hangs head in shame:

If you want to have your number(s) marked as ex-directory, you can elect to have your number removed by visiting the following web site http://www.118800.co.uk/removeme/remove.html and following the simple instructions given. Simply complete the on-line form and have your mobile with you and when you get the text with the 5 digit code, enter it straight away and you will then be advised that you have been made ex-directory.

That service is suspended. Wonder if that's because too many wanted to use it?