] (AP) A telemarketing tool that penetrates home privacy
] defenses is upping the ante in a technology battle
] between sales callers and consumers seeking shelter from
] unsolicited calls.
]
]
] Castel Inc., a maker of automated dialing technology,
] boasts that its DirectQuest software is immune to the
] TeleZapper, a $40 gadget designed to thwart sales calls
] by faking the tones of a disconnected number.
]
]
] Beverly, Mass.-based Castel has been mailing brochures to
] telemarketers and other prospective customers touting the
] software, which also includes a feature that lets
] salesmen transmit any phone number or text message to
] residents' caller ID displays.
]
]
] That second component allows DirectQuest to dodge such
] phone company privacy services as SBC's Privacy Manager
] and Sprint's Privacy ID, both of which reject calls that
] don't provide caller ID information.