Does anyone else hate unidentified phone calls?

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I absolutely hate receiving calls from numbers not in my contacts, and especially one's from those damn marketers.

It's tricky. Like you I prefer email, but in most cases what people want is a cell phone number. I just let people know that I only carry a cell phone for emergencies. And I tell them they can leave me a voicemail if they really need to talk to me. That way they (hopefully) understand I'm not a regular cell phone user and I may not answer right away. It's rare that anyone gets upset over it, but if they do I just explain that it's nothing personal, I just don't use my phone that much.

I think when a person wants to contact *you*, generally speaking they need respect your preferred method of contact. In other words you set the rules on how and when, and of course you try to give as much flexibility as you can, but you do it within some sort of limits...like for instance you can say "the best time to call is between 1-5 pm otherwise I may take awhile to get back to you." So that way they have some clear boundaries and they don't just expect to have unlimited access to you over the phone.

And you can also suggest that although they are welcome to call you, you will probably be able to respond faster via email.

In my job I just tell people, sorry but my company does not provide me with a cell phone, but you can reach me via email anytime during business hours.

I don't think you have to explain much about why you have your preferences, just tell people how and when they can best reach you and leave it at that. And if they want to argue about it, or get you to bend to their preferences, that might be a bad sign. That's the kind of person I wouldn't want to have contacting me at all, although I know in reality sometimes you can't avoid it, but that's someone you need to be really firm with.

If you really prefer email, but the other person prefers the phone, I think they need to extend their availability to you rather than expecting you to just take their call whenever. I would ask them to give me their phone number and what time is best to reach them, rather than just giving them my number.

If it's from an unidentified caller I don't answer because I don't care to hear a sales pitch and that's often enough what I'd get if I answered.
If it's actually something important the caller can leave a voicemail or text me.

I agree, I don't answer and if it is a genuine call then they will leave a message; if it's sales then they don't leave messages and I block the number.

I usually don't answer numbers I don't recognize, if it is important they'll leave a message.

Ditto. Phone calls even from people I know make me nervous. Calls from unlabelled numbers always make me inexplicably afraid of bad news. The beeping from the dialpad when I have to call numbers not in my contacts list is a sound that triggers a lot of anxiety. I wish ASDs and anxiety weren't so closely linked; I get tired of being afraid of the dumbest stuff all the time. I wish I could just be happier, and do things like make phone calls without turning them into a horrific affair.

I hate all phone calls - regardless if I know the person or not. In fact, I am more likely to answer a call from somebody I don't know rather than someone that I do know.

I've been getting them a lot recently.

I just don't answer them, plain and simple.

Caller ID is good. Fast Internet access to look-up specific Caller-ID number (while the telephone is ringing) is better!

These telemarketing calls may "wear out" the LED display (of caller's numbers) on telephones after awhile (that spurred the purchase of a newer, better caller ID phone).

The "telemarketing industry" doesn't acknowledge the very people "getting wise" through Caller ID tools...Terrible!!