{mosimage}I don't mind returning calls which I was unable to take up, but I really hate returning the missed calls given by some people intentionally. That very display of "X number of missed calls" grates my nerves. This can be further drilled down to whom and why. Only person I don't mind "accepting" the missed calls is from my niece Meera. She is still in her school and is dependent on her parents for the her mobile bills. Even then sometimes she calls me, I expect the ring to die in 2-3 seconds so that I can call her back, but she insists me on taking that call. Else she communicates me via SMS not expecting me to call her. But I have few friends who are well earning, still give missed calls and signalling me to call back. More than the 'call cost' involved, I hate the very attitude of 'making the receiver pay' behind these calls. Worse is when I get missed calls from unknown numbers. A kinda curiousity creeps in whether this will be somebody who wants to reach me.. like courier boy or delivery boy, but many times it turns out to be somebody who dialled my number inadvertently.
Mobile phones are the worstly exploitted invention these days. Instead of serving the purpose of reaching somebody at the times od despair, it has deeply intruded intruded into our privacy. Most of the people doesn't know to keep the conversations shorter, especially with the incoming calls. So I have learnt to come to the point straightly atleast in the phone calls, even though it is curt & sometimes can be misconstrued to rude. I am making it a point to make any phone calls even ISD and convey my message in a not more than 2-3 minute calls rather than giving them a missed call. Once we set an example by behaving the way how we want other to behave with us, things become pretty organised. When I have something to convey / ask for, I make the calls. And if others have something to ask for / convey, let them call. No missed calls are entertained.
Talking of mobile phones, I remember how the STD calls were irritating / causing contention in the relationships in olden days. Most of my relatives have their telephones locked dynamically - sometimes the local calls also. Most of the times the STD booths were located far away from their home, so going there were problem. It used to be embarassing to ask them to release the STD lock. Even if we, as kids, ask the locks were released with a warning or a prelude "Last month the telephone bill was very high.. i suspect being misused, so keep the conversations shorter". At that times we felt that it would have been better if not asked for. Thankfully with the rapid explosion of mobile phones, everbody keeps their communications through individual mobiles. However this minor problems of missed calls exist then and there.
While searching for an image for this article I came across this site which gives you a fair idea of from which Service Provider & State, the call had come from. - Mobile Look Up
{oshits} readers have read this and I hope they won't give missed calls to their friends... ;-)