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Product: |
Mosaix Predictive Dialing System |
Author: |
Robyn Roybal |
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Content: |
TeleZapper by Privacy Technologies, Inc. |
Date: Number: |
9/15/01 SSB
116 |
What is
TeleZapper?
It's been brought to our attention that a new telecom
device called TeleZapper is being manufactured by Privacy Technologies. The TeleZapper is advertised to:
“Zap annoying telemarketing calls forever! … The TeleZapper hooks up to your phone in less than a minute. After that, every time a telemarketer calls, the TeleZapper sends out a special tone that tells auto-dialers that your number is disconnected. It traps telemarketers by their own technology. With the TeleZapper the calls won’t come back, and eventually your number is erased from calling lists forever.”
How Does
TeleZapper Work?
TeleZapper
is a small device with two phone jacks; one connects to the incoming phone line
and the other connects to your phone. Power
for the unit comes from a small plug-in wall transformer.
When
you pick up the handset of your phone, either to answer or make a call, the
TeleZapper senses the loop current drawn by your phone. It immediately sends out a short tone, which
is heard on your phone and by the calling party at the other end. If a predictive dialer calls a phone with
this installed, then when the call is answered, the Call Progress Analysis
software on the dialer will receive this tone.
Note that everyone who calls your line will also hear this tone when you
answer the call.
The
tone is approximately 300 ms long (about 1/3rd of a second) and has
a frequency of 918 Hz. It so happens
that the three tone SIT sequence that you would normally get from the telephone
office when you dial a disconnected number starts with this same short
tone. The TeleZapper is playing the
first tone of this three tone SIT sequence.
The designers of the TeleZapper evidently have knowledge of a dialer
that will respond to this tone and classify the call as a disconnected number.
Mosaix
Predictive Dialing System
To understand the potential impact to our customers, Avaya
recently purchased the TeleZapper.
After
extensive testing, results showed that the Mosaix Predictive Dialing System
does not respond to this tone and operation after receiving the tone proceeds
as if the tone was not there.
The
TeleZapper has absolutely no effect on the operation of the Mosaix Predictive
Dialing System.
When Asked
About The Effect of TeleZapper
Tell
customers that the Mosaix Predictive Dialing System, when tested with
TeleZapper, showed the following results:
- The
Mosaix PDS completely filters out the tone
- There
is no record of the single tone of the three tone SIT sequence coming into the dialer
- No
codes are reported
- There
are no changes to the calling list
- There
is no evidence that the TeleZapper does anything
at all to the Mosaix PDS
TeleZapper
most likely works to some degree as claimed on other dialers, although we have
no knowledge as to which dialers would respond to the tone.
Contact Information
For
more information, contact your local Avaya Account Executive.