How about a Caller ChargeBack service that would operate like
a 900 number, but be attached to your individual residence line?
For a small fee, say $2.00 a month, you could enter a list of
(say) 50 numbers that were authorized to call you for free;
anyone else who called you, unsolicited, would be charged $.95
for the first minute, $1.95 for each additional minute, credited
to your phone bill. If you really liked receiving a specific
call, you should have the opportunity to enter a code number
after completing the call, to cancel the charge (in case some
long-lost relative finally tracks down your home number) --
sort of a single-instance Caller ChargeBack Blocking feature.
After a few years of successful operation, the phone companies
could offer "Enhanced Caller ChargeBack", letting you choose
among $.95/$1.95, $2.95/$5.95, and $19.95/$99.95 rates; and
they could publish special directories, of people who like
getting nuisance calls, really like getting nuisance calls,
and really, really, *really* want every telemarketing company
in the world to call them, and talk for hours!
With the number of magazine subscriptions, charities, life insurance,
and other unwanted calls I get, I'd be happy to GIVE the $.95 for
the first minute to Pacific*Bell, and just wait to make a profit
on the succeeding minutes.
With the existing Caller ID and 900 technology, I'm sure the phone
companies could make such a product work, and I guarantee there is an
enormous market out there among consumers who like dinner uninterrupted.
The only thing wrong with this idea, unfortunately, is that it would
meet the needs of residential consumers, not big business.
I'd like something similar for the junk mailers, to make them pay
*much higher* than First Class postage rates, and have the U.S.P.S.
give me a rebate along with each junk mail item, to help pay for
the garbage collection and recycling fees that result from throwing
this junk away.
/ perk
Paul Perkovic, Product Marketing Manager -- Open Connectivity Products
Ingres, A Division of ASK Computer Systems, Inc. Voice: 510-748-2524
1080 Marina Village Parkway, #4026 FAX: 510-748-3618
Alameda, CA 94501-1095 E-Mail: pe...@ingres.com