But I have utilized a stopgap strategy for a number of years now that has worked pretty good:From a former telemarketer, the best strategy is to use federal law to your advantage. Federal law requires telemarketers to maintain a "do not call" list, which is rather self explainatory. I think once your name and number are added to this list they cannot call you for something like 10 years. There are not that many major telemarketing firms, and if you knock a few of the biggest ones off you will get very few (if any) calls.
The best way to say it is "Please add me to your do not call list", you don't need any confirmation after that, you can just hang up. Some telemarketers will try to read you a disclaimer saying that it may take up to 30 days to remove your name and blahdy blah, but they are still required to put your name on the list. Be careful not to simply say "take me off your list" because the major firms are very crafty about that, they'll say something like "we'll immediately remove you from this list, is there anything else I can do for you?" and that only takes you off *that* specific calling campaign. The "do not call" list is mandated by law, though, and is company wide.
Using this technique I haven't gotten a telemarketing call in about... 2 months, and probably 2 months again for the one prior to that. The tone phreaking trick is pretty cool, though, a technical solution to a social problem.
