Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ho95e.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!ho95e!ran From: ran@ho95e.UUCP (RANeinast) Newsgroups: net.consumers Subject: Re: Phone-line-grabbing junk callers Message-ID: <242@ho95e.UUCP> Date: Wed, 6-Nov-85 08:57:46 EST Article-I.D.: ho95e.242 Posted: Wed Nov 6 08:57:46 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 7-Nov-85 06:07:58 EST References: <29f04efc.a51@apollo.uucp> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 43 > From (Mark Rosenthal @ Adaptive Optics Assoc., Cambridge, Mass. USA) > > These machines are especially obnoxious since they refuse to release your > > phone line until they are done with you... > > This practice is not only obnoxious, but also potentially dangerous. One night, > I got such a "junk" call during my Girl Scout meeting. The recorded caller > did not relinquish my phone line for over six minutes. (I timed it.) I had > nineteen kids in the house. What if I had to call the paramedics or the fire > department? Six minutes can be a LONG time in an emergency. > > w. christensen As far as I know, this is NOT true. When you as the called party hangs up, the local switch does a timeout (for around 20 seconds) before releasing the line. This is to allow you to hang-up, run to another, more convenient phone, and continue the conversation. The line is not held beyond that 20 seconds, though, and there's nothing the calling party can do to continue to hold the line. This is a *feature* of your telephone service. (There's nothing like this for the calling party, when they hang-up, they're gone). I suspect what happened to you was you hung up, then picked up the phone to see if they were still there (yes, 20 seconds hadn't elapsed yet), then tried again (still there, clock got reset), etc. I realize that there is some ambiguity in the above postings. The non-release has nothing to do with the the bastard dialers re-dialing as soon as it detects your hanging-up. This technique really can tie up your phone for extended periods. I'm only addressing the actual "release" of the circuit. I learned the above in some telephone course I took, but can't find the source right now. Sorry. -- ". . . and shun the frumious Bandersnatch." Robert Neinast (ihnp4!ho95c!ran) AT&T-Bell Labs