Bloody Telemarketing & Automated Phone Calls!

[on the sideline]

Over the past 3 or 4 weeks our home phone landline has been bombarded with phone calls for telemarketing companies and automated phone calls ranging from "clear your debt" to "you have won a holiday" or "have you had an accident." 
Its got to the stage now where id say that 3, out of every 4 times the phone rings are these types of call, you know the ones you hang up immediately, only to pick up the receiver and here them still yappin on! 
This mornin was the final straw when one of these calls woke everyone in the house at 7.30.  Worst thing is the oul dolls aunt is sick in hospital & every time the phone rings she fears the worst.

Does anyone know of anything that can be done to either stop or block these calls?
Any help appreciated.

ps
I dont want to go exdirectory

[armaghniac]

In the South you can be taken off the telemarketing list. This doesn't stop ****ers in America ringing you up though as they are outside the system.

[on the sideline]

In the South you can be taken off the telemarketing list. This doesn't stop ****ers in America ringing you up though as they are outside the system.

How do you get taken off the telemarketing list?

[sammymaguire]

try Telephone Preference Service (TPS)

[on the sideline]

try Telephone Preference Service (TPS)

Thanks for that. Fingers crossed it works!

[mc_grens]

This was my Ould Mans ultimate pet hate. I once heard the following conversation when one of them rang in the middle of dinner:

Dad: Hello

Telemarketer: Hello Sir, (launches into sales pitch)

D: Sorry, I'll gave to stop you there, you've interupted my dinner, and I don't want any of whatever it is you're selling.

T: Oh, sorry sir, I'll call back in a while.

D: No, no. I'll tell you what, what's your home number?

T: Sir?

D: Or your mobile would do fine if you'd prefer...

T: I can't give you either sir, why would you want that?

D: I was thinking I could wait until you were home having your dinner, then I could call you, and THEN you could tell me about this great opportunity you have available for me.

T: No sir, Im sorry you can't do that...

D: Oh, so you can ruin my dinner with a nuisance call, but I can't ruin yours?

Silence on the other end of the phone...

D: I don't think there's much point in you calling back later, do you?

Silence again.

D: Thanks, bye!


I called him Victor Meldrew for about a fortnight after that!

[Celt_Man]

This was my Ould Mans ultimate pet hate. I once heard the following conversation when one of them rang in the middle of dinner:

Dad: Hello

Telemarketer: Hello Sir, (launches into sales pitch)

D: Sorry, I'll gave to stop you there, you've interupted my dinner, and I don't want any of whatever it is you're selling.

T: Oh, sorry sir, I'll call back in a while.

D: No, no. I'll tell you what, what's your home number?

T: Sir?

D: Or your mobile would do fine if you'd prefer...

T: I can't give you either sir, why would you want that?

D: I was thinking I could wait until you were home having your dinner, then I could call you, and THEN you could tell me about this great opportunity you have available for me.

T: No sir, Im sorry you can't do that...

D: Oh, so you can ruin my dinner with a nuisance call, but I can't ruin yours?

Silence on the other end of the phone...

D: I don't think there's much point in you calling back later, do you?

Silence again.

D: Thanks, bye!


I called him Victor Meldrew for about a fortnight after that!

Absolutely brilliant!!