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meJess · F
If you make a private agreement with a company for a service why is the government allowed to hijack it without your consent.
Imagine if they decided you had to give ride shares to civil servants for free.
Imagine if they decided you had to give ride shares to civil servants for free.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@meJess What do you mean?
The government was not "highjacking" anything!
It called you from your service company, not used your phone to call others; and you do not pay for calls you receive.
This was a blanket alarm call to all suitable portable telephones on all portable telephone networks. It was to test a public alarm system similar to one used in some other countries to warn of potentially damaging weather events and the like.
It was not even a cold call because the test was well publicised in advance.
What you imply is that no-one must be allowed to telephone you, unless and until you have given them explicit, specific consent; because you have paid to be able to telephone them.
.
I don't know what number-G grade service was necessary, and it might not have worked on more basic portable telephones like my 3G instrument I have not linked to the 'Net. Nor was it sent to land-line 'phones. I have just turned on my 'phone for the first time since Friday night, and it shows having received no accompanying text message.
The government was not "highjacking" anything!
It called you from your service company, not used your phone to call others; and you do not pay for calls you receive.
This was a blanket alarm call to all suitable portable telephones on all portable telephone networks. It was to test a public alarm system similar to one used in some other countries to warn of potentially damaging weather events and the like.
It was not even a cold call because the test was well publicised in advance.
What you imply is that no-one must be allowed to telephone you, unless and until you have given them explicit, specific consent; because you have paid to be able to telephone them.
.
I don't know what number-G grade service was necessary, and it might not have worked on more basic portable telephones like my 3G instrument I have not linked to the 'Net. Nor was it sent to land-line 'phones. I have just turned on my 'phone for the first time since Friday night, and it shows having received no accompanying text message.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
@meJess I defined a cold call as one made without notice.
I think you will find any telephone company has a perfect right to send you any communication it wants! Just as anyone does, in fact. In return for you having the right to ring anyone else.
If you have a portable 'phone and do not want to receive any call on it at any time... just switch it off over that time. Simple.
I keep receiving texts advertising x minutes of free time if I top up by £y in the next z days. Since I spend barely £40 a year on it, I don't bother!
BT uses e-mails instead, trying to persuade me to buy some over-priced "smart"-'phone or subscription sports services; neither of which I want nor need.
However both companies are at liberty to send other service calls, and if that includes public-service alarms so be it. No different from the messages I receive from the doctor or dentist. I do not regard them as stealing anything from me, as you seem to fear.
As it happens this was a "call" from the Government, but you cannot necessarily pick and choose in advance who sends what to you. A call-barring service is reactive, by your choice after the fact; but even that might cover only private numbers, not service ones.
I think you will find any telephone company has a perfect right to send you any communication it wants! Just as anyone does, in fact. In return for you having the right to ring anyone else.
If you have a portable 'phone and do not want to receive any call on it at any time... just switch it off over that time. Simple.
I keep receiving texts advertising x minutes of free time if I top up by £y in the next z days. Since I spend barely £40 a year on it, I don't bother!
BT uses e-mails instead, trying to persuade me to buy some over-priced "smart"-'phone or subscription sports services; neither of which I want nor need.
However both companies are at liberty to send other service calls, and if that includes public-service alarms so be it. No different from the messages I receive from the doctor or dentist. I do not regard them as stealing anything from me, as you seem to fear.
As it happens this was a "call" from the Government, but you cannot necessarily pick and choose in advance who sends what to you. A call-barring service is reactive, by your choice after the fact; but even that might cover only private numbers, not service ones.
