On 12/21/2015 8:56 PM, Mark Lloyd wrote:

I'd imagine the worse problem would be a machine waiting until the
*eighth* ring to pick up -- at which point, many may have abandoned
the call (and you've no record of it).

You have the caller ID record.

If the machine -- and the subscriber -- have CID! :

Isn't technology wonderful??! :

I have my answering machine set to answer after 2 rings. Almost all the calls I
get now on the home phone are junk calls (caller ID shows city, state like
"AUSTIN TX" or "TOLL FREE CALL" in most cases). I won't answer unless I see a
familiar caller ID, and in that case will be holding the phone and can answer
quickly.

Ours is set to 2 rings but the ringer is turned off. We try to look
at the machine every day or two to see if anyone called AND waited through
the outgoing message (if they hang up before then, the machine doesn't
record the call -- so we see no notification).

Folks that want to get in touch with us use email or the front door.
Cuts down on the "nuisance contacts" as very few junk callers are
willing to come to the door *or* know any of our email addresses! :