International calls

talos · Oct 10, 2017, 09:25:09

I there any way of blocking calls marked up as International? I am plagued by marketing calls flagged up as international. I can use my call blocking phone only if they send a number, but since the new legislation I don't get many of those (thank god), I don't need international access, those I do want use my mobile number, so if blocking affects both incoming and outgoing it would still be fine.

Clive · Oct 10, 2017, 09:37:10

Buy a CPR Callblocker which will cost around £40. There are no ongoing charges and you can block any type of number including spoofing numbers, withheld, individual numbers, exchanges. I've had mine for around 7 or 8 years.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=CPR+Call+Blocker&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCpa_00uXWAhXBfxoKHULBDBoQBQglKAA&biw=1280&bih=590

Don't use the BT version - they are totally different and there is a monthly charge.

You can buy them from Amazon.

Gary · Oct 10, 2017, 10:21:08

Quote from: talos on Oct 10, 2017, 09:25:09
I there any way of blocking calls marked up as International? I am plagued by marketing calls flagged up as international. I can use my call blocking phone only if they send a number, but since the new legislation I don't get many of those (thank god), I don't need international access, those I do want use my mobile number, so if blocking affects both incoming and outgoing it would still be fine.

Just get a phone with it built in, loads of BT phones have trucall built in now and its a one off with the price of the phone.

dudwell · Oct 10, 2017, 12:24:52

I can support Clive's recommendation of the CPR Callblocker, it's excellent. The neatest and cheapest version is easy to use and does everything I need. Just one unit interposed between phone socket and base station will service several DECT phones. Don't lose the rather small instruction booklet though.

Simon · Oct 10, 2017, 13:27:31

+1 for CPR Callblocker.

Clive · Oct 10, 2017, 13:29:46

The manuals are available online.

https://www.cprcallblocker.com/pages/user-guides

Ray · Oct 10, 2017, 14:40:34

another +1 for the CPR call blocker.

nowster · Oct 10, 2017, 15:50:59

+44 for the UK

Clive · Oct 10, 2017, 19:20:46

talos · Oct 11, 2017, 07:48:37

Thanks guys CPR it is then

andrue · Oct 11, 2017, 16:56:26

I prefer the TrueCall unit (also available in some of BT's phones). It's basically a digital secretary that can screen unknown callers (those it knows come straight through unmolested). If the number is unknown the caller will be prompted to say their name. Then the unit plays that recording and you decide if you want to accept the call or reject it. If the number is available you can also permanently block it or permanently accept it.

The nice thing is that if you have a someone away from home you can tell them the passcode then they can bypass the secretary immediately.

Mine has cut cold calls down to zero.

andrue · Oct 11, 2017, 16:58:28

Quote from: Clive on Oct 10, 2017, 09:37:10
Buy a CPR Callblocker which will cost around £40. There are no ongoing charges and you can block any type of number including spoofing numbers, withheld, individual numbers, exchanges. I've had mine for around 7 or 8 years.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=CPR+Call+Blocker&spell=1&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjCpa_00uXWAhXBfxoKHULBDBoQBQglKAA&biw=1280&bih=590

Don't use the BT version - they are totally different and there is a monthly charge.

I believe they are a rebadge of the True Call unit. If so there should only be an - entirely optional - annual charge. Last I heard it was £20 and gave access to a web UI for managing number lists. You can still manage your lists without that but it has to be done through the handset so is a bit fiddly.

Clive · Oct 11, 2017, 18:56:25

They are two entirely different packages Andrue. There are no monthly charges at all with the CPR Callblocker. I'm very familiar with the True Call unit as family members and friends use the system. What they don't like is that their phone does not start ringing until the caller hears a minimum of six rings on their phone. Then by the time the call is answered the caller thinks the person they are calling is out and they put the phone down.

andrue · Oct 11, 2017, 19:25:01

Quote from: Clive on Oct 11, 2017, 18:56:25
They are two entirely different packages Andrue. There are no monthly charges at all with the CPR Callblocker. I'm very familiar with the True Call unit as family members and friends use the system. What they don't like is that their phone does not start ringing until the caller hears a minimum of six rings on their phone. Then by the time the call is answered the caller thinks the person they are calling is out and they put the phone down.

That doesn't happen with my TC unit. I just tried it by hiding my mobile's outgoing CLI and phoning my home number and the TC unit picked up in two rings. When I re-enable CLI on my mobile my home phone started ringing, again within a couple of rings.

It sounds like it might be a network issue. CLI information doesn't always appear immediately so perhaps the TC unit is just prepared to wait a bit longer than CPR and your family and friends are with a provider that is particularly slow to put CLI on the line.

Edit:Another possibility is simply that they've told the unit to wait that long. The option exists in the menu (5, 15 and 30 seconds) but the manual implies it's only for the answerphone model. I just tried it on a whim and it does delay pickup even if you don't have answerphone functions. Tell them to review their settings. For sure something is wrong there because a Google search doesn't seem to find anyone else complaining about it.

Clive · Oct 11, 2017, 19:31:48

I think my wife's cousin is with Virgin but our friend who lives in Cricklade is with BT. We use IDNet for both our phone packages.

andrue · Oct 11, 2017, 19:34:09

The CPR is cheaper and if it does what's needed then great. But I tried that first and wasn't happy for some reason. I think it was because of the belt and braces approach. At least with TC you can(*) give all callers the opportunity to try their luck without ever having to speak to them yourself whereas CPR is just 'allowed' or 'not allowed'. TC also gives you different rules for night time. So between 2200 and 0700 my phone only rings for known accepted numbers and those with a passcode.

My concern with the delay issue is merely that it sounds like a fault or set up issue so shouldn't need to be tolerated.

(*)You don't have to. You can configure TC to flat out block all unknown callers if you want.

Clive · Oct 11, 2017, 19:45:28

What I particularly like about the Callblocker is that it will block a whole exchange. If for example a company phones up on number A the following day a colleague from the same company might phone from a very similar number. Blocking the exchange deals with the issue in one fell swoop. The other thing it stops is spoofing calls, where someone phones up using a fake number such as 00000000000000 or even a number that looks like a local number but they are really in India. The CPR just blocks them out of hand. It can block the last number that called or any number you type in. But there's little point in changing your TC now that you have it.

andrue · Oct 11, 2017, 21:05:17

That's true about the blocking as I don't think the TC can do wildcard blocking. However it doesn't need to do that. If a number isn't specifically blocked but isn't on the white list the caller is going to have to sit through ten seconds of spiel then say their name then wait for me to decide if I want to speak to them.

Our message:"Hi. We screen all incoming calls and we will not accept marketing calls nor calls from anyone we don't know. If you say your name after the beep we will decide whether or not we wish to accept your call."
The machine then says: "Please say your name after the tone."

It would take a particularly stupid and persistent person to listen to all that then choose to say "Acme Marketing Company" in the expectation of us actually choosing to speak to them. And the worst case scenario even if they are so stupid is that we listen to them saying "Acme Marketing Company" and put the phone down. I don't think I even have any blocked numbers programmed. There's never been any need. The message is off putting enough.

We often see the TC light up with an incoming call but after three or four seconds it goes dark again. Cold callers obviously aren't stupid

Clive · Oct 11, 2017, 22:18:25

I don't think our relative and friend realise there is a white list as we have to go through the rigmarole every time. Oh wait.....

Simon · Oct 11, 2017, 23:08:34

How does TC handle robot diallers, Andrue? Presumably they can't decide not to be stupid enough to wait until the end of your message? I'm just curious because even with CPR, the robots occasionally break through and leave a load of spiel on my answerphone. Of course, I can then block future calls, but the ones that do get through are annoying.

Adrian · Oct 12, 2017, 17:03:40

Quote from: andrue on Oct 11, 2017, 21:05:17
That's true about the blocking as I don't think the TC can do wildcard blocking. However it doesn't need to do that. If a number isn't specifically blocked but isn't on the white list the caller is going to have to sit through ten seconds of spiel then say their name then wait for me to decide if I want to speak to them.

I don't know about wildcard blocking but I have a wild card to always accept calls from my local exchange on the grounds that they are highly unlikely to be unwanted calls, and if any do come through I can still block them on an individual basis. In fact the manual says

"You can add numbers to your Zap & Star list at your Internet Control Panel (page 19) either individually or imported from your contact management software. You can also add the caller's name which will then be displayed on your phone when they call. As well as specifying individual numbers, you can specify number ranges using the Wildcard feature"

colirv · Oct 14, 2017, 09:47:21

We bought a TruCall unit several years ago. We use the alternative facility where an unknown caller is invited, in your own message, to dial a single number to be immediately put through. Only one cold caller or so a year asks to be put through, we get no silent calls and all our friends are whitelisted. The only slight downside is that international callers (such as my step-daughter) cannot be whitelisted, so have to dial the additional number to get through. She doesn't mind! A brilliant bit of kit IMHO.

Adrian · Oct 14, 2017, 13:55:21

Quote from: colirv on Oct 14, 2017, 09:47:21
We bought a TruCall unit several years ago. We use the alternative facility where an unknown caller is invited, in your own message, to dial a single number to be immediately put through.

Now that must be one of Baldrick's cunning plans. I like it.

andrue · Nov 01, 2017, 12:01:07

Quote from: Simon on Oct 11, 2017, 23:08:34
How does TC handle robot diallers, Andrue? Presumably they can't decide not to be stupid enough to wait until the end of your message? I'm just curious because even with CPR, the robots occasionally break through and leave a load of spiel on my answerphone. Of course, I can then block future calls, but the ones that do get through are annoying.

I don't know for sure. There is a mode on the TC that requires the caller to press a key (picked at random each time) to leave their name but I don't think I've got this enabled. I've not had any come through so either none call me or else TC is blocking them.

andrue · Nov 01, 2017, 12:02:22

Quote from: Adrian on Oct 12, 2017, 17:03:40
I don't know about wildcard blocking but I have a wild card to always accept calls from my local exchange on the grounds that they are highly unlikely to be unwanted calls, and if any do come through I can still block them on an individual basis. In fact the manual says

"You can add numbers to your Zap & Star list at your Internet Control Panel (page 19) either individually or imported from your contact management software. You can also add the caller's name which will then be displayed on your phone when they call. As well as specifying individual numbers, you can specify number ranges using the Wildcard feature"

In that case the TC does support wildcards. I hadn't realised.

As for the single number to get through all units have a default pass through number. It's the last two digits of the serial number (I think) by default. Anyone dialling in can just dial that number once the spiel starts and the call will go straight through then and there.