[Patentpractice] Unable to connect to any USPTO phone numbers

[Alan Taboada]

DOGE switched the USPTO to a minute-based calling plan to save money and this is happening to employees that have hit their monthly minute allotment.



From: Patentpractice <patentpractice-bounces at oppedahl-lists.com> On Behalf Of Carl Oppedahl via Patentpractice
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2025 3:35 PM
To: For patent practitioners. This is not for laypersons to seek legal advice. <patentpractice at oppedahl-lists.com>
Cc: Carl Oppedahl <carl at oppedahl.com>
Subject: Re: [Patentpractice] Unable to connect to any USPTO phone numbers

On 3/10/2025 1:14 PM, Carl Oppedahl wrote:

On 3/10/2025 12:49 PM, Michael Dryja via Patentpractice wrote:
Is anyone having this issue?  As of 11:47 am PT on Monday, March 10, for the past hour when I’ve tried calling any Examiner it either gives me three fast beeps (using my T-Mobile cell phone) or rings and rings and rings and hangs up (using my Phone.com<https://link.edgepilot.com/s/3f20cc65/LKcQSuiBs0mzPIMNg7bmOA?u=http://phone.com/> Voip line).

 - Mike Dryja.

Yes it's not just you.   I have called an Examiner and the Examiner's SPE.

From my office phone direct extension, the call to the SPE rings and rings, and clicks to a different ring cadence, (maybe migrating to voice mail?) and then hangs up on me.

From a personal phone number (VOIP), the call to the SPE rings a while and then says "the number you are calling from has been flagged as spam.  If you believe this to be in error, please press 1 to report the problem."  I press 1 and it hangs up on me.

I call from my cell phone and the recorded message is "the number you have dialed has calling restrictions and so the call cannot go through".  And it hangs up on me.

When I could not get through to the SPE, I dialed the Director of the Tech Center.  Nope.  The call disconnects.

It is impossible to get through on the phone number for Coke Morgan Stewart, the Director of the USPTO.




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