I used to work at an addictions telephone centre. I usually did the late/midnight shift. We did a lot of waiting for the phone to ring. However, management would not allow us to surf the net, read, or do anything at all that was not directly related to the phone calls. We could only read stuff produced by the employer, which was the sum total of about 12 brochures and addiction referral info. We weren't even allowed to chat with our co-workers at the next desk over. We had to sit and stare at the wall for the whole 8-hour shift, waiting for the phone to ring. Which it did on average 3 or 4 times a shift.
It was insane. I was in university at the time, studying psychology, and I got reprimanded for studying between calls. Needless to say, I was finally forced to quit.