Loud, clear, land-line phone without feedback whine? [more inside]
posted by DU on Nov 20, 2009 - 4 answers

I would like to find a hardware answering machine that has some advanced controls to manage which incoming numbers can make the phone ring. [more inside]
posted by royalchinook on Oct 8, 2009 - 9 answers

PhoneFilter: For testing purposes I need phone numbers in the following categories: No Answer (just rings), Disconnected, Busy. [more inside]
posted by DetonatedManiac on May 8, 2009 - 9 answers

Are there any legal issues involved in asking people to call a telephone number? [more inside]
posted by 1001 questions on Mar 7, 2009 - 8 answers

My mom switched to land-line phone service through Comcast, but now she only has one working phone jack. How do we restore functionality to the remaining outlets in the house? [more inside]
posted by blueberry on Dec 30, 2008 - 5 answers

I need recommendations for a good "emergency autodialer" system for my grandmother. The general idea is that should she fall and break her hip (or whatever), she can hit a button on a pendant, and the system calls some preprogrammed numbers and delivers an emergency message. CTQs below... [more inside]
posted by juliewhite on Dec 11, 2008 - 9 answers

What can I possible do about someone that is repeatedly calling my place of employment and hanging up? [more inside]
posted by hammerthyme on Oct 10, 2008 - 6 answers

No dial tone inside my house, but the DSL is working. When I plug a phone directly into the grey box (a.k.a. Network Interface Device) on the outside wall of the house, at the same time disconnecting the link from the phone company's incoming line to the wiring inside the house, I get a dial tone! It seems that the phone company is still providing service. The evidence is exactly what I'd expect if there were a phone off the hook inside the house... but there isn't. What else could be going on? [more inside]
posted by aws17576 on Aug 31, 2008 - 22 answers

Small business phone system. Surely there must be something better than Merlin/PBX? [more inside]
posted by StickyCarpet on Jul 17, 2008 - 13 answers

is this thing on? Phone jack not working. [more inside]
posted by giddygirlie on Jun 6, 2008 - 3 answers

Phone from China, SIM card in the US: what do I need to know to make sure I have a working cell phone when I return to the US for a month or two this summer? [more inside]
posted by msbrauer on Jun 4, 2008 - 6 answers

Is there a cheap or free way to setup a phone number in Trinidad and Tobago and have it forward to an American number? Skype and Grand Central don't have numbers in that area code (868). A dozen other vaguely similar services don't, either. [more inside]
posted by Mo Nickels on May 20, 2008 - 2 answers

For the last month or two I've been hearing noises from the flat above me. Specifically, I hear a phone number being dialled (as if by a modem), followed by the standard telephone voice saying that the number dialled has not been recognised. This voice repeats itself for a while, before the whole process starts again. This goes on for hours at a time. What's going on? [more inside]
posted by xchmp on May 1, 2008 - 13 answers

Mathfilter: How many text messages (SMS) will fit on a floppy disk, or a CD-ROM? Once that number is derived, how much will it cost to send or receive that many messages if a consumer pays per message (American carriers or Intl carriers would be great)? [more inside]
posted by kenneth on Mar 3, 2008 - 6 answers

how can I keep my cell phone number cheaply while spending time abroad? [more inside]
posted by krautland on Nov 24, 2007 - 10 answers

What's the best lightweight, unobtrusive and form-fitting iPhone case? [more inside]
posted by killdevil on Oct 21, 2007 - 20 answers

Advice on hiring an Indian call center to answer after-hours calls for a law practice? [more inside]
posted by jayder on Sep 23, 2007 - 19 answers

Is there anywhere online or in print that provides help programming Avaya Partner Messaging "Automated Attendants"? [more inside]
posted by mikespez on Aug 21, 2007 - 5 answers

What kind of job can I get that involves working on the telephone from home and that is challenging in some way? [more inside]
posted by lunchbox on Aug 18, 2007 - 15 answers

Looking for a device to send recorded messages over phone line via ethernet control. [more inside]
posted by MtDewd on Jul 2, 2007 - 3 answers

How to be a (cheapskate) grown-up in Toronto? [more inside]
posted by twistofrhyme on May 30, 2007 - 8 answers

How can I regain my privacy wrt telephone conversations in a shared house? [more inside]
posted by gadha on May 2, 2007 - 13 answers

I've got a phone conversation that's going to become a podcast. How can I use Audacity to make it sound its best?
posted by jjg on Jan 22, 2007 - 11 answers

Can anyone suggest a cordless phone system that will work throughout an old house? [more inside]
posted by Songdog on Nov 3, 2006 - 6 answers

Who were the first group of people to embrace SMS texting? Did any members of the group who designed the protocol accurately predict how it would be used? [more inside]
posted by rongorongo on Oct 6, 2006 - 15 answers

Is there some code, in the manner of *69, that returns the number I am dialing from? It doesn't have to be a star code, whatever works. How do telco people do this?
posted by everichon on Sep 12, 2006 - 17 answers

And to think I grew up with a rotary phone and a typewriter… I'm moving in November, and I'm trying to figure out what my best options are for phone and internet service (I won't be getting cable unless it’s free or something). I'm asking these questions together because I understand bundling isn't just for the Amish anymore;-) [more inside]
posted by orange swan on Jul 7, 2006 - 12 answers

I'm sure there used to be a code one could dial on UK telephones which would cause the line to ring - thereby achieving intercom functionality? This number was something like *173, but either my memory fails me or it no longer works. Any ideas on the specifics?
posted by dance on Jun 14, 2006 - 7 answers

Please help me figure out the most affordable, logical phone/internet package for my house. There are too many options, and I'm not quite sure where to start. [more inside]
posted by Dr. Wu on May 18, 2006 - 12 answers

How do I conduct a good telephone interview? [more inside]
posted by jefgodesky on Apr 28, 2006 - 11 answers

I've never had a landline -- just a mobile for the past decade. I got married last year, and the little lady has a landline. We need one where we live, since there's no mobile service. So I forward my calls to the home line when I'm home. The problem is that if I don't answer the phone, the voice mail service doesn't work. How can I make these two work together? [more inside]
posted by waldo on Apr 12, 2006 - 9 answers

Five minutes ago, I heard about an interview that will take place tonight. Does anyone know anything about the firm IQPC, or the conference industry, that could help me get this job, and get to New York? [more inside]
posted by godawful on Mar 31, 2006 - 9 answers

Help! I need a regular desk phone that has a GOOD headset for my business. I'm tired of dealing with inferior, poorly-made headsets. [more inside]
posted by zek on Mar 16, 2006 - 8 answers

What, if anything, should I do about in-laws who won't identify themselves when they telephone? [more inside]
posted by waldo on Mar 14, 2006 - 57 answers

I'm in NYC next week and flying out of JFK right after I finish a conference call. I'm wondering about someplace at or near JFK that I might be able to take the call in relative peace and quiet. [more inside]
posted by stevil on Dec 1, 2005 - 4 answers

Centrex/CustoPAK vs. Other Phone Systems: Should I get one? [more inside]
posted by jeb on Sep 30, 2005 - 1 answer

If I buy a phone in the USA, can I just plug it into the wall back in Australia? [more inside]
posted by obiwanwasabi on Sep 25, 2005 - 7 answers

I'm looking for a banana phone. Not the song, thanks, but a real, honest-to-goodness banana-shaped phone. [more inside]
posted by tommasz on Aug 30, 2005 - 12 answers

Someone I know is getting multiple phone calls per day to their cell phone from an unlisted "Private Number" (so says the cell screen). The caller hangs up after about 10 seconds without saying anything. Nothing can be heard in the background, except possibly a rustling sound. Because of the nonresponse, it is unclear whether a human is making the call or if it is somehow automated. [more inside]
posted by _sirmissalot_ on Jul 24, 2005 - 20 answers

This happened to my girlfriend in 1987, and for years she's been telling the story as though it was a genuine mistake. The first time she told me the story, I immediately thought it was a prank. [more inside]
posted by interrobang on Jun 12, 2005 - 7 answers

What exactly is this device, and can I/how do I/what do I need to get it to work as the voicemail/multiple phone line server I think it is? [more inside]
posted by fandango_matt on May 9, 2005 - 9 answers

I need a phone system for a small (1-5) person business. [+] [more inside]
posted by fandango_matt on Mar 16, 2005 - 15 answers

Cordless phones My cordless phones have terrible battery life. Plus if I hold one against my shoulder w/my chin, I often accidentally hang up. Does anyone have a cordless phone they love?
Requirements: Caller ID, clear sound.
Nice to have: 2+ handsets, volume control on the handset. [more inside]
posted by agropyron on Jan 17, 2005 - 15 answers

VOIP Filter:

I would like feedback regarding people's experience with VOIP. Vonage and Lingo, and any others. Bonus points for feedback regarding faxing over VOIP. Even more bonus points for VOIP over a Verizon DSL line in the New York City area. Also, is VOIP legal in the EU?
posted by ParisParamus on Jan 7, 2005 - 42 answers

My consulting business has gotten busy enough (knock on wood) to warrant not using my personal cell phone number as the first line of communication. What I need is a service that creates a local phone number, has a customizable voicemail system that can fwd to my cell, office, whereever.

Is there such a thing, or should I just get a second cell phone?
posted by omidius on Dec 6, 2004 - 10 answers

Is there any way to make a european telephone work on the U.S. system? [more inside]
posted by omidius on Nov 29, 2004 - 8 answers

CurseThePhoneCompanyFilter: My phone company won’t acknowledge that I’m a customer! How can I get them to let me transfer my number to another, non-crazy company? (More inside from a long-time AskMe lurker with a brand new account) [more inside]
posted by handful of rain on Nov 19, 2004 - 5 answers

Alternative telephone providers in the NYC area?: I need to find an economically viable solution to run 3 telephone land-lines and 1 fax line for a small business in Brooklyn. Our current provider is Verizon: we use >500 minutes a month, and pay about $350 (MI). [more inside]
posted by naxosaxur on Aug 3, 2004 - 10 answers

Why do I usually feel inclined to pace around when talking on the phone? Even if I make a call while sitting comfortably, I end up walking all over the place when I'm using a phone.
posted by Nikolai on Jun 23, 2004 - 18 answers

UK Mefi'ers: I'll be visiting relatives in London next month, and have managed to unlock my Nokia phone so I can use it while overseas, and need help understanding the local market[MI] [more inside]
posted by smcniven on Jun 22, 2004 - 5 answers