It is very annoying, fortunately I don't get a huge number of these calls - perhaps 3 or 4 a week usually. Most of the time it seems to be cellc or 8ta, which is quite daft considering they are calling my cellphone to try sell me ANOTHER cellphone. Recently I have had a few which are just a recorded message.
What really irks me is that I have always been quite paranoid about giving out my cellphone number, the only companies that have it are telkom, vodacom, nedbank and my insurance company. Despite my paranoia these telemarketers seem not only to have a number to call but also seem to know who I am. Clearly one or more of the above companies are sharing.
My frustration is not limited to cold calling, I find the people who think presticking junk onto my gate just as annoying, their behaviour is tantamount to vandalism as getting the prestik cleanly off after a day in the sun can be almost impossible. A few years ago I took down the gate intercom because 10 times a day there would be someone ringing it asking for food/money/clothes/job/jesus, now what’s left of the intercom magically collects gate automation company stickers.
I also have no trust in the do-not call lists, they looks more like datamining to me and some of the info they expect you to provide is alarming considering they don’t seem to be very good at safeguarding it.
Besides a do not call list is much more work then for example requiring all call centers to use a specific and easily identifiable number range. Don’t rely on the telemarketers to police themselves – it will not work. I will do it myself, just give me the ability to do it. If you have a smart phone that can filter the number ranges you don’t even have too hear the phone ring.
