Helpful Telephone Insights

Thanks to our friend Micky in Maine for sending these insights on telephone stuff! 

*Always ask what "unlisted" or "nonpublished" means before you sign up for the service. Unlisted means simply that that the phone number is not in the phone book. It's probably still available through directory assistance and shows up on Caller ID. "Nonpublished" probably means that the number will not be in the phone book, directory assistance or show up on Caller ID. But you should still double-check.
*AT&T callers can block Caller ID by hitting *67 before dialing. Doing so blocks your name and number from being sent on calls – and prevents others from capturing your unlisted number. It's free and you can read more about it here.
*Phone companies can lure people into even pricier privacy services. AT&T has Caller ID and "privacy manager," which screens calls marked "private" on Caller ID. This, again, is probably a waste of money for most customers.
*If you're worried about telemarketing, join the free Do Not Call list. It's free. Call 1-888-382-1222.  But signing up won't prevent you from getting all telemarketing calls. Charities and political calls, for example, are exempt.