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AM I THE ONLY ONE?

(44 Posts)
PRINTMISS Mon 04-May-15 07:28:29

Who does not have/use a mobile phone? Once again I tried yesterday to place an order on line, and once again I was asked to provide a mobile telephone number - the order would not go through without one. Now, we do have a mobile, it is in the car for emergencies only. It is not switched on, because it is for OUR use, we have a perfectly good land line on which people can contact us. This is not the first time a company has lost an order because I will not provide a mobile phone number. Their loss.

Jane10 Mon 04-May-15 07:32:08

Does it have to be a mobile phone number? I never give mine out. If asked for a phone number I just give our landline no -includine area code etc so its 11 digits long. Has always worked. Try that?

Jane10 Mon 04-May-15 07:32:41

Including!

NfkDumpling Mon 04-May-15 07:38:57

I carry a mobile. DH doesn't. Only friends and family have my number as I don't want to get nuisance calls. Like Jane10 when forms ask for a mobile number I put my landline. If asked for a mobile number by a large company, I refuse. Not been a problem so far - but I can feel it coming!

kittylester Mon 04-May-15 07:41:00

Flipping annoying isn't it PRINTMISS! I do have a mobile phone but we have no signal in the house so there is no point giving it to anyone who is delivering! Can you put in your land line number? It will have the same number of numbers so might just foil the computer. You do, of course, run the risk of getting one of those strange text message voices on your landline!

feetlebaum Mon 04-May-15 07:54:30

i have been known to fill in the 'Mob.. phone number' with a string of 0s - seemed to all go through without difficulty...

petallus Mon 04-May-15 08:01:34

DD has just given me her old i-phone. Love it.

Nelliemoser Mon 04-May-15 08:07:52

I have usually put my land line number in. I don't like the idea of the world and his wife having my mobile number

hildajenniJ Mon 04-May-15 08:19:29

Are we old fashioned? My DD has a land line, as mobile reception is poor in her area, but she uses her mobile nonetheless. My DS only has a mobile! I give my mobile number out, I usually can't hear it if it rings as I keep it in my coat pocket. I know what you mean though, about having to give it on forms, and orders. I filled an online form in a few days ago and the required fields to be completed were red starred, they included land line and mobile numbers. I had to go to my coat pocket to fetch my mobile as I can't remember the number. I ignore or delete the calls if I don't recognise the number.

PRINTMISS Mon 04-May-15 08:31:36

The particular form I was asked to fill in only asked for mobile number, it has happened before, and not upset me at all, but yesterday I was really annoyed! Ordered from some one else.

kittylester Mon 04-May-15 08:58:20

But, you could maybe just have put your landline in and then felt superior having fooled them! grin

Pittcity Mon 04-May-15 09:16:16

I am the opposite to most of you here as I hate giving out my land line number and always give my mobile. This is because there is a handy block function on a mobile that you use for unwanted callers.

DD2 thinks it's because I cant be bothered to walk across the room to answer the phone, she might have a point!

In your position PRINTMISS I would have made up a number. They do sometimes send texts to tell you when an item is going to be delivered or a driver may ring to check you are in if it is a big item, but they usually only want your number so they can advertise.

AshTree Mon 04-May-15 09:23:20

My DH and I both have mobile phones and use them a lot, so this isn't a problem for me. What I hate online, however, are those sites that won't even let me browse their online catalogue unless I register with them. That means giving them my full name, address, email address, and other personal details. Why? I may not even buy anything, but they have all this information about me! Well they don't, because I leave the site.
Can you imagine walking through the doors of Debenhams or John Lewis and being stopped by someone with a clipboard asking for your personal information before letting you into the store?

FlicketyB Mon 04-May-15 09:23:54

I have a mobile phone. It lives in the car because I cannot get a mobile phone signal at home.

As I am retired and spend more time in my village than elsewhere, and mobile phone reception problems are wide spread in the area I always give my landline number. I have never had anyone chase me for a mobile number instead of a landline number. We have an answer phone service, so people can always leave messages.

thatbags Mon 04-May-15 09:47:28

Try typing in 01001001001. At the form filling stage, it's probably a machine reading the entries so as long as the right number of numerals are 'in the box', it 'thinks' you have filled the form in correctly. I would then email the company and tell them their ordering online software is crap (more politely than that, but that'd be the message).

thatbags Mon 04-May-15 09:49:16

If it wants a 7 instead of a 1 because it's a mobile number it's asking for, just substitute the first 1 with a 7. I always do the zero and ones thing when I think it's none of their business what my phone number is and that they don't need it as they have my address and email.

durhamjen Mon 04-May-15 09:57:00

Got an old mobile but never give out the number, because I have no idea what it is and can never be bothered to find out.If I ever want to take it out with me, the power has usually run out.
The forms I do not like are the ones that ask for landline and mobile.
I usually make a number up, using lots of 7s if I need that particular service. Otherwise, like you PRINTMISS, I go elsewhere.
When I was trying to change from BT, even they kept asking me for a mobile number as part of my security. BT have never had a mobile number from me, so I have no idea how they got a security number from me!

Mishap Mon 04-May-15 10:09:56

We have mobiles which we use occasionally when out or on holiday; but never at home because there is no reception.

We tried to open an online Santander account and went through endless form-filling, proving our identity with copies of documents going backwards and forwards etc., then at the very end of the process they said we could not have an account because we had to give a mobile phone number so that when we asked to make a withdrawal they could text a code to us to use online for that transaction. The only way we could have done this was to drive up to the pub (where there is reception) every time we wanted to do anything with the account!

FarNorth Mon 04-May-15 11:14:46

I'm like Pittcity and always give my mobile number, for preference, as it's easier to ignore or switch off and doesn't affect anyone else in the household.

I'd not want to be forced to provide a mobile number, tho, so I totally agree with the objections to that.

ninathenana Mon 04-May-15 11:30:19

I agree, it's wrong for them to assume you have a mobile and that you'd be prepared to give them the number.

I have on more than one occasion rejigged the digits of my landline when form filling to stop unsolicited calls.

AshTree I couldn't agree more about registering just to browse. I too just leave the site.

harrigran Mon 04-May-15 12:34:48

I have never given my mobile number to anyone but family and friends and yet I get phone calls and texts from companies the worst being the gas provider who texts me to tell me my meter reading is due. They must be able to cross reference name and address with a list of mobile numbers, weird because the account is not even in my name.

janerowena Mon 04-May-15 13:37:08

Another one with no reception, I too just make up numbers, or give my number knowing it won't ever be answered.

So many people live in cities where they is always a mobile reception that they cannot believe there are places where broadband, satnav and mobiles don't work reliably. I swear sometimes people have thought I am lying.

janerowena Mon 04-May-15 13:37:50

Next door, the last in our lane, can't even get their house phones to work most of the time!

granjura Mon 04-May-15 14:23:31

Got one- but hardly ever use it ! Only have it when driving long distance, travelling on my own long distance or walking on my own in the woods- just in case.

loopylou Mon 04-May-15 14:27:46

I have one but have to ask DH what the number is as obviously I never phone myself sad

DCs despair of me!