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Letter: Letter: Weeding out callers

Published 8 December 1990

From ALAN CHATTAWAY

The technology Jeff Hecht dreams about is here in Canada – and may be
in the US – too (‘Another wrong number’, Forum, 20 October). Try this for
peaceful nights: for $3 a month a single phone line can have two numbers
(one listed, the other private) with distinct ‘rings’. A separator box,
costing $150, recognises these rings and directs calls for the listed number
to an answering machine. For another $2 a month, ‘call forwarding’ can divert
daytime calls from the listed number to the unlisted one without divulging
the secret. At night, with forwarding disabled, only close friends can reach
you.

Alan Chattaway Vancouver, Canada

Issue no. 1746 published 8 December 1990

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