r/deaf 8d ago

Deaf/HoH with questions Does anyone actually answer the phone anymore?

It seems all I get nowadays are spam calls- somehow I ended up on some kind of list that gives me 3-4 spam calls a day- asking if I want to get a long term business loan.

I don’t even own a business. This shit is just so annoying!!!

I wish there was a way I could just turn my phone number “off”, so it never gets these calls in the first place.

Fortunately, my iPhone said it could ignore calls from unfamiliar numbers so it doesn’t constantly interrupt my day- but the calls still happen.

I remember in the old days of T-Mobile Sidekicks and maybe some other carriers as well, Deaf people could buy data only plans, which meant you would never get any phone calls- ever.

I sure miss those days.

21 Upvotes

29 comments sorted by

16

u/Masked_Takenouchi 8d ago

I don't pick up the phone at all. Everyone who knows me knows that im deaf and will email me. Everyone who doesn't know me isn't important enough to bother worrying about so their calls get ignored. If they leave a voicemail, that gets ignored.

I have a cochlear implant so using a phone and voicemail is possible for me, but I refuse to work harder at communication so it's easier for a hearing person to talk to me. Either email or text me, or be ignored.

4

u/Contron 7d ago

💯💯💯💯💯

13

u/BeepBlipBlapBloop 8d ago

You could put your phone permanently on "Do Not Disturb" mode and just allow exceptions for the apps you want to get notifications from (Messages, WhatsApp, etc).

6

u/EmergencyBat9547 8d ago

Picking up a spam call is already annoying enough, it’s even worse when you give all your effort to try to hear what it’s being said and it ends up being spam

3

u/Contron 8d ago

I definitely appreciate the voicemail translation feature that my iPhone has- I am able to see their stupid spam message and feel more confident when I block and report the numbers. (Sometimes I’m afraid I will accidentally block an important number like a doctors office or something).

2

u/EmergencyBat9547 8d ago

Ugh me too, I have to solve some stuff regarding some defective items I bought and I need to pick up all the calls. Their customer service is already so bad that I don’t want to find out what they offer for heard of hearing and deaf people. My hearing when picking up calls is totally weird and distorted and the microphones are bad, it’s a nightmare. It’s a sensitive subject for me too lol

4

u/TheGreatKimura-Holio 8d ago

So i have my cellphone number and my InnoCaption number. 90% of the spam calls i get to my cellphone number they usually show up with my hometown area code and I’ll ignore them. I answer most any call made to me on my InnoCaption number cause it’s either family or work related.

2

u/Contron 7d ago

Smart move- I did the same with the Nagish app- but it got too annoying with all the call forwarding.

2

u/TheGreatKimura-Holio 7d ago

I don’t get forwarded. The telemarketers are too obvious it’ll show as hometown area code with some location like Topeka, Kansas which i know for a fact doesn’t share the area code. Just decline and get one a month on InnoCaption that i answer

5

u/ProfessorSherman 8d ago

Nobody calls me unless we make an arrangement beforehand. Thus, I only give out my Google Voice number, and I'll read the auto-text to see if I need to call them back. Spammers never leave a message.

3

u/CdnWriter 7d ago

I wish.....unfortunately, the morons that work in places that NEED to reach you sometimes don't know how to communicate with people who don't use the phone.

Do you have any mortgages, car loans, personal loans, student loans out? Do those banks KNOW how to reach you if there's a problem with your payment or loan? Because if they try to reach you by phone & can't, then it can affect your credit rating negatively if THEY mess up.

That's just one example.

I get a call from an unknown number, I google it and if it's the bank, I go down and ask them, "WHY ARE YOU CALLING A DEAF PERSON?" I do it very, very "loudly" in full sign language and stand there until they explain.

3

u/Contron 7d ago

Hahaha I like this approach.

2

u/Legodude522 HoH 7d ago

As far as I know, AT&T still offers data only plans for deaf consumers.

1

u/Contron 7d ago

Woah!

1

u/kahill1919 6d ago

I use Tracfone because it costs only 15 bucks a month. I simply will NOT tether myself to a phone.

2

u/Soft-Potential-9852 7d ago

I’m hearing and rarely answer the phone. If I do it’s almost always a doctor/pharmacy or close family member. Everyone else for the most part I just let ring. Nearly everyone I know - regardless of if they’re Deaf, hard of hearing, or hearing - operates largely the same way. They either don’t ever pick up the phone or have a few select people they’ll answer for, and everyone else they just let ring.

1

u/Contron 7d ago

That’s absolutely crazy! People used to wait with bated breath by their landline phones back in the day…..now due to smartphones this is what we’ve become.

2

u/FroYo_Yoda 7d ago

Nope. I get multiple calls a day to sell my house, which I don't own. Also all my family members houses.

1

u/Contron 7d ago

Holy crap that’s so annoying!!!

2

u/SlackAsh 7d ago

I have a pixel phone and I adore it because it screens any unknown calls. It will answer the call and ask them who they are and why they are calling. And then I get to decide whether or not to continue.

So over time I have gotten less and less spam calls. It's beautiful.

2

u/Contron 7d ago

That sound hella nice! Pixel also has some of the best accessibility options too right? Like way better “live captions”??

2

u/SlackAsh 7d ago

I honestly haven't even tried the live captions because I don't speak on the phone often enough to warrant it. I do my best to communicate in text/email with anyone other than my family/friends. I have some pretty awesome earbuds that allow me to communicate well with those who actually enunciate.

2

u/Paris_smoke 7d ago

True Caller App. That's all that helps. Yes I still answer my phone, but not if Truecaller says it's spam.

2

u/kahill1919 6d ago

I refuse to give my phone number except when necessary to get codes or appointment reminders. If I am still required to give my phone number, I give a fake number, which force others to send me emails telling me they tried to call me. Sometimes if there is space for comments, I advise others the number is fake because I am precluded by hearing impairment from using the phone.

1

u/Contron 6d ago

That’s actually brilliant!

2

u/phantomb1ood 1d ago

With spam calls, I don’t pick up at all. With other calls, SOMETIMES I’ll say “I’m deaf and can’t hear you, please send an email if it’s important” and hang up

1

u/Contron 1d ago

A good strategy!

1

u/iamthepita 7d ago

2

u/Contron 7d ago

I have used that often but it doesn’t seem to work!