When we moved into our new apartment about a year ago Telecom Italia connected the phone line and gave us a new phone number. I’m not sure what goes into reactivating an existing line (pressing a button?), but it cost us 150euro. Within time it became evident that Telecom had given us a recycled number, this means that a few times a day we get a call from random people asking for some kind of medical studio. I think they’re calling for a medical practice or a switchboard rather than for one doctor as the request varies. We’ve had a few wrong numbers for a plumber too. The mind boggles. I have thought of having a bit of a joke: “Yes, I am the plumber”, “Yes I am the doctor” etc, but decided against.
Anyway, because we only had a cordless phone which crackles constantly, this weekend we bought a fixed phone. Oh the joy of being able to hear every word the other person says! I quite liked the old fashioned style phones, but because of the problem with the wrong numbers, we opted for one which displays the incoming call number – so the label said. When we got it home we discovered that to have this feature in action you have to pay E1,55 a month to Telecom. Not a lot of money, I know, but it annoys me to pay it because it’s Telecom that caused the problem in the first place, plus add it to the 35euro a month line rental we give them… The new phone has another feature helping us in the fight against wrong numbers and Telecom, which is that it rings only if we get a call from a number in the inserted phone book. Clever, if not a bit extreme, but at least now I don’t have to answer the phone and say “ha sbagliato numero” everyday. And straight away they redial and still get me.
It’s my aim to completely remove the Telecom line one day and just make calls using the computer via our ISP (which is not Telecom Italia). I’m not sure if you can do that, but I’d like to think you can. The only thing that I like about Telecom is their deal of unlimited calls to England for 10euro a month. Apart from this I barely use it. Thieving so-and-sos.
Benvenuti/welcome!
A few tales and insights about my daily life and adventures in Naples. Enjoy! ... All words and photos Copyright© 'Delinissima' 2007-2008
10 comments:
Getting a recycled telephone number is a very common in the state I live in as the telephone companies are limited as to how many numbers available. This is determined by how many digits the number has and the capability of the switching equipment of the company.
This is happens more frequently with people using prepaid cell phones. If you don't keep enough money on your cell phone you eventually lose your number and it gets reissued.
I don't know if this is exactly what happens in Italy. I'm sure Carole B could give a better explanation. Hopefully, the calls will stop or at least slow down eventually.
A similar thing happened to us when we moved into our apartment and got a new phone number. We had all these teenage girls calling for "Luca." He must be a real fighetto. Hee hee. Same 150 Euros. It's Telecom, baby. Che ti devo dire? :)
I had no idea it cost that much to turn the service on! We get wrong numbers here all the time, and most often they're like yours- they're people asking about medical appointments. Then a couple of days ago someone thought we were the comune. I hate it when people just hang up when I tell them they've dialed the wrong number. Can't they say sorry or excuse themselves? Or at least say goodbye?
Gil, I can imagine it has to happen at some point, especially with cell phones considering the number of them around. I myself must have gone through around 10 mobile numbers.
Michelle, sounds like Luca was pushed into changing his number. Hihihi
When we first got our phone hooked up, we kept getting calls for 'Dottore Vigliotti'... what's with the recycled medical numbers?!
I never understood why it costed 150 euros to simply flick a switch and turn the line on. I can understand if there was no working line coming to the house, but with working lines, I just don't understand.
Kc, I completely agree about people just hanging up. Can't they just say "excuse me", or at least "goodbye".
Wierd how others have the recycled medical studio number problem. Who knows what the reason is...
maybe they're not MEDICAL doctors, but just people with degrees. If you have a degree here people can use the title dr and what with all the formalities etc that is probably what it is. That is of course unless the person was an architect, lawyer, engineer, teacher etc and the other professions they use those titles for while going about their daily business....
I personally get sick of all the telemarketers. Pretend i don't speak italian ha ha ha
Vanessa
Could be. I can't remember what exactly they say, but something gives me the impression they are calling for a med Dr rather a different kind of dottore.
I know what you mean about the telemarketers! In the other house we got lots of telemarketer calls but this time we've got our number not listed. This means we should get none of those, but somehow a few have slip through. Telemarketers are definitely not unique to Italy! Pretending you don't speak Italian works a treat :)
We keep getting these bizare recorded messages in italian saying "We have a message for so and so". It's always the same guy they have a message for!
My number was the old number for the office od collegamento at the town hall. People got really ratty with me when I told them it was now a private number and expected me to be able to put them through to the right office!
Post a Comment