Couldn't disconnect 05600363622 when it rang

[#1]

We have just have a call from 05600363622, which is a Natwest survey number.  We are ex directory and TPS so they shouldn't even have our number but that's something Natwest are now investigating.
The question I have for you guys is that when this number rings, you cannot disconnect the call.  Even if you hang up and pull the phone plug from the wall the call is still going on when you reconnec several minutes later as it is waiting for your response from your keypad to its questions.  As this call goes on for quite some time and what worries me is that what happens if someone is needing to make a 999 call ?  Someone's life could be at risk as you would have to wait for this other call to end by answering the questions first 

Is this right that you can't cancel the call or is there a way that I don't know about to stop the call so that you could make a call such as a 999 call if it was needed?  Your help is much appreciated.

[#2]

It used to be that if the receiver hung up then the call is held by the originator, we used to use this to switch phones before we had dect ones. It must be that their side doesn't drop the call when you hang up, which it should.

[#3]

If you hang up for 3 minutes, don't pick the phone up in between or the timer starts again, that will force clear it. Some (not all) exchanges seem to have been modified to force release in a much shorter time. Mine has, and when last tested it was 7 seconds. I'll try and check tonight when me and a friend have inclusive calls 
This reduction in the force clear time was to help beat the scammers such as those that were doing the Bank Card frauds, telling you to hang up and then dial your bank number on the card. In the meantime they held the line, put a false dial tone on, and then answered pretending to be your bank 
The other thing that's going on is International CLID is also being unblocked. Again, it has been here, but initially the leading 0 was missing (using 1471) so a call from France was 033..... rather than 0033.....  Just checked funnily enough as we had one yesterday evening and it's correctly saying 0033........

[#4]

My concern is if you are just about to make a 999 call you can't afford to wait 3 minutes, someone could die due to the extra delay.

[#5]

Unfortunately this is quite a common issue which is also used by fraudsters who call pretending to be from a bank saying your account has been compromised.
They then ask you to ring them back on the number on the back of your card. You put the phone down and pick it back up - you get a dialtone which is actually a recording the fraudsters are playing back down your still connected phone line. You dial the number and the fraudsters pretend to pick up the phone and be your bank. They then arrange a courier to pick up your cards after asking you for your PIN number.
Job done.
Another place I used to work at had two more phone lines than a rival. At quiet times you could call out on two lines and kill the other companies trade by tying up their lines and receive orders on the two remaining lines from customers who "couldn't get through to the other food place" ........

[#6]

Brabus, I guess your exchange will be modified in due course if not already. Get someone with inclusive calls to ring you and hang whilst you hang up. Get them to time how long before they get number unobtainable tone, which is when your line will be cleared.
Repeat the test, this time pick your phone up say 5 seconds after the previous time recorded and check you have dial tone.
I'd use a mobile, or go to a neighbours for the 999 if I was stuck.

[#7]

Quote from: BRABUS

We have just have a call from 05600363622, which is a Natwest survey number.  We are ex directory and TPS so they shouldn't even have our number but that's something Natwest are now investigating.

Ex Directory and TPS registered means nothing if you have given the company the number yourself in dealings with them.

[#8]

Bud we have never given them the number.  When signing up to Natwest and they asked for a landline number we said no.  They said they had to have it for security.  We told them we didn't have to have Natwest, it was their choice.  They gave in and all forms were completed without ever giving them the number.

[#9]

Quote from: BRABUS

My concern is if you are just about to make a 999 call you can't afford to wait 3 minutes, someone could die due to the extra delay.

But as explained, you have had all your life to be concerned about this, had you known about it.  It used to be much worse; the 3-minute clear down is a recent innovation, hitherto you could have been blocked from calling out indefinitely.
Do you block caller display on outgoing calls?  Otherwise anyone you call can get hold of your number and note it down. 

[#10]

There is another solution, and I don't know why I hadn't remembered it before, press the Recall button!
That puts the current call on hold and gives you dial tone to make an outgoing call.
If you phone doesn't have a Recall button, flash the receiver rest briefly once so you are getting a break of between about ½ and 1second.
This is exactly the same as the technique for putting a call on hold and answering an incoming call when you have call waiting, and also the same technique to initiate 3-way calling. Check if your phone has a setting for the Recall Button and make sure it's set to "timed-break".

[#11]

Quote from: Anotherone

The other thing that's going on is International CLID is also being unblocked. Again, it has been here, but initially the leading 0 was missing (using 1471) so a call from France was 033..... rather than 0033.....  Just checked funnily enough as we had one yesterday evening and it's correctly saying 0033........

Our exchange was upgraded for International CLID 2-3 weeks ago and I also noticed the first International call we received had the leading zero dropped (i.e. showed as '061...' instead of '0061...').  Subsequent calls have correctly displayed 2 leading zeros.
Except that this morning I again received an International call starting with '061' so I'm not sure what's happening there (although because the complete number is stored in the phone it still somehow correctly displays the associated name).
Edit; Typo

[#12]

Our number is withheld by default on all calls so we can't forget.  The weird thing is about hanging up, we used to be able to get rid of a call by hanging up for 10-20 seconds.  Now it seems that this is no longer the case.  Instead of getting better it just seems that it is getting worse.

[#13]

Odd, but test it as I explained in reply #5