Ninety-five percent of the calls I get are scams, tele-marketing and robo-marketing calls. The telephone is a constant disruption.  I don't answer and rely on the answering machine.  

No one I call answers either.  Not even businesses.  Recently I telephoned the diagnostic center, where tests are done as part of my annual checkup, to confirm the appointment.  A long recording in two languages explained everything I had no need to know, but it was impossible to communicate with any live person at the diagnostic center.  I could go online, get an apt, create a portal and establish a communication connection.  In other words, what the telephone formerly dealt with in 30 seconds now took an hour or two just to set up a method of asking the question.  The robot on the other end didn't say how long I would wait for a reply.  

Everyone must have noticed by now that whether you call your bank, credit card company or utility company, reaching a live person is the most difficult and most frustrating task of your day.  Everyone has noticed that the recorded message tells you that "we are experiencing an unusual call volume at this time.  Your wait time is one hour and 45 minutes.  Stay on the line or leave a callback number and we will call you in approximately one hour 45 minutes."