I want my phone back

[UffDa]

Damn robocalls have gotten to the point where we don't answer our phone anymore. :grumpy: The do not call list doesn't work because charities and political calls are allowed even if you don't want them. I looked into a device called the TeleZapper, but from what I read, you can do the same thing by recording a SIT at the beginning of the greeting on your answering machine. Supposedly, it tells the calling computer that it has reached a disconnected number. I'm going to give it a try.

If you want to try it, here's the URL to download the tones.

http://www.modemspeedtest.com/eatyourdinner.htm

 

[Charlie Mike]

Did anyone here ever record the tones from depositing quarters into a pay phone?

 

[Gollnick]

SIT is Special Information Tone. SITs are those three-tone peals that you hear before an intercept announcement. "Doo Dah Dee The number you have dialed has been disconnected or is not in service. Please check the number and dial again. ATT 503 641." Each type of intercept has a different coded SIT peal... all circuits busy... number disconnected... call can not be completed as dialed... etc. Robocalling machines listen to these peals when they get them and respond accordingly. If they get the peal for "all circuits are busy" they will try calling that number again in a few minutes. If they get the peal for "number disconnected or no longer in service," then they will drop that number from their list.... at least for a few weeks. Because the same companies robocall for dozens of clients, getting off their list for even a few weeks can save you dozens of calls.

So, yes, this technique does work.

 

[Gollnick]

Did anyone here ever record the tones from depositing quarters into a pay phone?

Not anymore. Payphones use out-of-band signalling these days... have for decades. So, 2600 no longer has the same meaning.

 

[Charlie Mike]

My father in law remembers those whistles. He is PG&E and is paid to attend hacking classes. He has "training" PBX's in his garage.

This thread just gave me Anarchist's Cookbook flashbacks!

 

[Midget]

gollnick.


how do you always know so much stuff?

like stuff that's an entirely different topic from other stuff that you know . and in detail. i'm impressed.

 

[kr1]

SIT is Special Information Tone. SITs are those three-tone peals that you hear before an intercept announcement. "Doo Dah Dee The number you have dialed has been disconnected or is not in service. Please check the number and dial again. ATT 503 641." Each type of intercept has a different coded SIT peal... all circuits busy... number disconnected... call can not be completed as dialed... etc. Robocalling machines listen to these peals when they get them and respond accordingly. If they get the peal for "all circuits are busy" they will try calling that number again in a few minutes. If they get the peal for "number disconnected or no longer in service," then they will drop that number from their list.... at least for a few weeks. Because the same companies robocall for dozens of clients, getting off their list for even a few weeks can save you dozens of calls.

So, yes, this technique does work.

Will this work if I use the peal for "number disconnected or no longer in service" and then still have my voice message for humans. Can I assume that the machine only "hears" the tones and doesn't care what comes next?

True??

KR

 

[Gollnick]

Will this work if I use the peal for "number disconnected or no longer in service" and then still have my voice message for humans. Can I assume that the machine only "hears" the tones and doesn't care what comes next?

True??

KR

The machines just key on the tones, yes. That's what the tones are for. So, yes, this does work.

 

[Gollnick]

gollnick.


how do you always know so much stuff?

I used to design Class 3 telephone switches.

Class 3 switches route calls from local networks onto toll networks. It's a neat place to work because you're straddling a line and so you had to know both sides of the line. One of my specialities was timing synchronization for Class 3 switches; this is an amazingly interesting area to work in. But, the telecom bubble burst and so I left that industry.

 

[kr1]

I used to design Class 3 telephone switches.

Class 3 switches route calls from local networks onto toll networks. It's a neat place to work because you're straddling a line and so you had to know both sides of the line. One of my specialities was timing synchronization for Class 3 switches; this is an amazingly interesting area to work in. But, the telecom bubble burst and so I left that industry.

Very cool. Thanks for the answers. The one thing you said that I don't understand so maybe you can elaborate. I have done a fair amount of audio and video signal processing/recognition but somewhat in the past. You said "Payphones use out-of-band signaling these days". What is considered out of band? If I remember correctly I thought that the phone bandwidth was around 2500hz. Has that now been increased? Or is it digital signaling instead of analog?

I'd be interested. Again, thanks for the information. I am so sick of those #$%# robo dialers.

KR

 

[JUST1MOR]

gollnick.


how do you always know so much stuff?

like stuff that's an entirely different topic from other stuff that you know . and in detail. i'm impressed.

Midget, reminds me of Bruce Willis asking the computer kid in his last movie (the name escapes me) "How do you know all this stuff ?" I ask the I.T. guys at work the same question when I watch them work on my computer or someone else's. Their answer: " I don't know, it's just up there rolling around" . . .

 

[Cougar Allen]

device called the TeleZapper, but from what I read, you can do the same thing by recording a SIT at the beginning of the greeting on your answering machine.

Are they leaving messages on your answering machine?

 

[Gollnick]

You said "Payphones use out-of-band signaling these days". What is considered out of band? If I remember correctly I thought that the phone bandwidth was around 2500hz. Has that now been increased? Or is it digital signaling instead of analog?

It is digital, ISDN or VoIP. Often ISDN. Being digital, some bits in the bit stream are reserved for the "signalling" (including dialing) and others are for "bearer traffic" which is the call audio. Sounds in the B channel do not affect dialing because dialing is done on the D channel and the user has no direct access to the D channel. When you press the buttons, DTMF tones are generated in the handset speaker so that you will know that you pressed the button correctly, but they are really just an audible feedback for you; those tones don't actually dial the call. Similarly, billing information including coins received goes on the D channel. There may be a beep generated in the speaker for you, but, as with the DTMF tones, it's just an audible feedback for you, nothing else.

 

[UffDa]

Are they leaving messages on your answering machine?

I don't know. They disconnect when they here the SIT.

Hey Cougar! You're old enough to remember when people would solder a wire to a nickle and use it to make free phone calls.

 

[hung-solo]

can you do the do dah dee in a normal human voice or does it have to be near or within those decibels?

 

[RevDevil]

I used to design Class 3 telephone switches.

Class 3 switches route calls from local networks onto toll networks. It's a neat place to work because you're straddling a line and so you had to know both sides of the line. One of my specialities was timing synchronization for Class 3 switches; this is an amazingly interesting area to work in. But, the telecom bubble burst and so I left that industry.

Interesting. I know who to ask for help when our NEAX 2400 goes down.
Forgive the blurry image. The lights in the room are horrible, I've since rewired the lights and installed more eyeball friendly bulbs.

 

[kr1]

It is digital, ISDN or VoIP. Often ISDN. Being digital, some bits in the bit stream are reserved for the "signalling" (including dialing) and others are for "bearer traffic" which is the call audio. Sounds in the B channel do not affect dialing because dialing is done on the D channel and the user has no direct access to the D channel. When you press the buttons, DTMF tones are generated in the handset speaker so that you will know that you pressed the button correctly, but they are really just an audible feedback for you; those tones don't actually dial the call. Similarly, billing information including coins received goes on the D channel. There may be a beep generated in the speaker for you, but, as with the DTMF tones, it's just an audible feedback for you, nothing else.

Very cool. I had no idea it had all changed to digital. I still thought that it was still mostly an analog system.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, just never gave it much thought and the fact they still have kept the old audio signals that I am use to never made me think anything changed.

Thanks for the information.

KR

 

[elvis.alive]

I remember those boxy things! My father worked in telecommunications, and one time took me down into one of the rooms, showed me a box with a light, removed the box, and told me "That person just got disconnected!"

 

[mugwump867]

We actually canceled our landline this week over this very issue. Not really the phone company's fault but I didn't like paying upwards of $40 a month to be endlessly harassed at all hours of the day and night by robo-calls. Since that line got so little actual use the vast majority of incoming calls were unwanted. I guess we originally got one out of habit when we moved a few years ago but I doubt I'll ever again bother with one.