Call Protect

[#1]

@Minivanman "Yes I have one and no, I do not work for BT"

Me too, and I don't work full stop .............

[#2]

When I first got broadband from BT in 2007 there was something called Broadband Talk which allowed me to make cheap overseas calls (1.25p/min. to New Zealand, but 8p/min. to my neighbour ).  On that service I got the full number, including the 00 and country code when I dialled 1471 after someone had called me so why can't the same information be available from a standard line?

[#3]

@Jonpe - My cousin in Germany rings me regularly and his full number appears (I have it whitelisted so he gets straight through to me). I think it is dependant on the telephone infrastructure/implementation in the country where the call comes from whether or not the number is available.

I've never tried 1471 after one of his calls, I wonder if what you hear depends on whether you have CLI or not. Must try it next time he rings...

[#4]

I have had a few "international" calls recently that do not get blocked by my "oldish" CPR unit. Using 1471, the number is reported as 0208..... so now on on the "block" list, all other international (00...) calls get processed as specified.

Phil

[#5]

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@sandrataylor51 wrote:

I wonder why they do not just make it impossible to withhold a phone number,  

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There are lots of valid reasons for withholding numbers. One I am aware of is our Doctor. If he rings us from his mobile while between house calls, his number is flagged as "Withheld" as (quite reasonably) he doesn't want to broadcast his personal mobile number to every patient he calls.

I know modern PABX's and VOIP systems can spoof the caller ID to give the main number, but I don't think any of the mobile operators offer that capability.

In any case many of the unwanted calls now provide a fake incoming number - especially the current spate of "free boiler" ones which seem to use a different (random?) number each time. 

[#6]

That is not a valid reason as he could simply tell his patients to call his surgery or call the out of hours number and never to call his personal one again, or he could have one that is purely for use when he is on call, that he could switch off until he wanted to make a call or was expecting a call back.

I was once called by my pharmacist and added that number to the one I usually used and when the normal one I used was engaged I rang the second number and got straight through.

The pharmacist asked me not to call that number again as it was his personal one and only to call the original number in future. I respected his wishes and deleted that second number from my contact list as any reasonable person would do.

If they did not do the same when your doctor asked them to do then they deserve to be kicked off his list.

Once again, I can think of no legitimate reason to with hold a number.

[#7]

PlusNet need to get with the times - here is a service "Call Protect" that loyal customers are asking for but their answer is no.  I'd even pay PlusNet for it, even with BT offering it for free, as upon till recently PlusNet's customer service has been so much better.  The recent company ringing me is spoofing the caller display with a 10 digit number and even 1000 possible blacklist entries on a call guardian phone wont be enough.  These scammers need to be stopped more at the source by the telcos than individual end users.

Apologies - soap box put away again  

[#8]

@longedge  No, I've had calls from the same number on my 'normal' BT line, and dialling 1471 simply tells me, "We do not have the caller's number to return the call".  If someone calls from abroad on a foreign mobile, I get that message, but when they call from the same mobile while in the UK, I get the full number 00+country code etc.

It would be handy if 1471 could at least say that it was an international call, and maybe even from which country even if the number isn't available.

[#9]

As BT are your parent company and calls come down the BT line from the BT exchange then this is not an acceptable answer. Some handsets can stop it ringing but calls are still logged and my answerphone still records the messages! Telephone Preference Service is a waste of time.

If it's a question of cost, which I'm sure this is since the technology is not Plusnet's then may I suggest this service is offered as an optional extra. I would gladly pay a reasonable charge to stop these nuisance calls

[#10]

Sadly, I don't have reliable CLI - my line seems to miss about half of them, so I'm not able to use any of the devices described (I can't have half of all calls going through to voice/response).

The only sensible place to deal with these issues is at the exchange - not least because the telecom operator can see many of the 'withheld' numbers that we can't. Additionally, the BT system is using intelligence across the phone network which can't be done at the handset level.

BT are the second operator to release this sort of feature, so operators without it will be trading at a disadvantage. The only question is - how many customers will PN lose (or fail to sign) before they are able to offer it and how long will it take for PN to take the obvious decision.

I'm not threatening to resign, but realistically there's nothing I get from PN that I can't get from BT, and it is only a matter of time before I get a discounted offer that will tempt me.

[#11]

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@orrery wrote:

Sadly, I don't have reliable CLI - my line seems to miss about half of them, so I'm not able to use any of the devices described (I can't have half of all calls going through to voice/response).

That is a more understanding approach than I would have. If you are paying for a service that doesn't work I would say it needs to be resolved.

Just to be clear are you saying that you have the CLI add-on at 99p a month and that in spite of this calls from numbers which are not ex-directory or overseas fail to be identified?

As far as not getting through is concerned, all legitimate calls whether the number is identified or not get through to me. The caller just has to identify themselves and then press the # key. I get calls from two family members, the G.P. and Hospital all withheld numbers and all without problem.

For me it's only the nuisance calls that don't get through and that is only because the callers just don't bother. I imagine they decide they are wasting their time from the outset.

[#12]

At the moment my phone is intercepting about ten calls a day, very few if any of which leave a message. 

Scroll through, delete, done. 

[#13]

Just to be clear the company currently giving me grief is displaying on the caller display false 10 digit numbers.  My current phones both have options to play different MP3 ring tones depending on number, so at the moment I'm adding them to a silent ring tone.  This still requires a reaction to the call on my behalf before that number is effectively blocked.  It would be fine to ignore the phone and let it go to voice except 2 people in the house work nights and sometimes its their place of work cancelling shifts.  For me there are 2 issues :

• The annoyance factor - the scum totally ignore TPS registration ex directory etc
• The legality of using false numbers, how long does it take before the next step they mimic British gas number for instance to sell you a boiler stc

The Telco's need to do more - that's you PlusNet (and others).  You are effectively allowing this questionable legal behaviour to continue even though this is becoming one of the biggest issues on this forum.

[#14]

My line, my expense, and my time.

Totally agree. 

[#15]

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@EggoUK wrote:

The Telco's need to do more - that's you PlusNet (and others).  You are effectively allowing this questionable legal behaviour to continue even though this is becoming one of the biggest issues on this forum.

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Absolutely agree.

But for now I only know of one foolproof way to protect myself from the daily hikes in blood pressure that I used to suffer at the hands of the people pestering me and I have implemented it.