New York Times technology columnist David Pogue wants to Take Back the Beep by getting cellphone carriers to drop their lengthy (and revenue-enhancing) voicemail instructions. Until the carriers cave, one can at least skip the instructions by invoking the magical sequence 1 * #. Or even simpler, one can hang up (so to speak) after just a few rings and send a text, saving the person on the other end the work of retrieving voicemail.
I support Pogue’s effort, but I’m secretly hoping that the phone companies keep their instructions. The “1 * #” thing is pretty cool.
(Oops — my hoping’s no longer secret.)
Thursday, July 30, 2009
“Take Back the Beep”
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
comments: 2
Yeah, those instructions have long bothered me! I hope the phone cos don't keep them -- we should at least have an option of being able to let our callers here only our greeting and a beep (I've called an asked -- no dice). I didn't know about the 1*# option, thanks for that.
Hmm, I'm still using Bell up here for my cell (and I don't have a land line) but when people call me and I don't answer, they just get my voice saying, "This is Julia's phone. Leave me a message at the beep and I'll call you back." At least, I think they do!
Post a Comment