Going ex directory, is it worth it?

David_B_2

Not a lot on the BT web site about becoming ex-directory so before I ring them I wondered what people thought? I have various services upon my line but still the odd but becoming more frequent sales calls are getting through, such as number unavailable or international calls. Is it a free service? (I guess not knowing BT) Est Prices? Does it have the desired effect, would you recommend it? Can you still have it if you are with another call provider? I.e. line is with BT but calls charged by somebody else.

Heinz

I used to be XD but, since moving in 2003 haven't been.

I did, however, decline an entry in the BT phone book (i.e. anyone asking via a 118 service will still be given my number) and, when using the 0800 916 5544 freephone number to get BT Privacy (incoming Caller I.D.), I took the opportunity to sign up for TPS.

Brilliant! Only extremely rarely do I now get cold calls and, with the Caller I.D. I usually know what's coming before I answer - so I'm ready with my 'the lunatics have taken over the asylum' impression.

David_B_2

Heinz wrote:

I used to be XD but, since moving in 2003 haven't been.

I did, however, decline an entry in the BT phone book (i.e. anyone asking via a 118 service will still be given my number) and, when using the 0800 916 5544 freephone number to get BT Privacy (incoming Caller I.D.), I took the opportunity to sign up for TPS.

Brilliant! Only extremely rarely do I now get cold calls and, with the Caller I.D. I usually know what's coming before I answer - so I'm ready with my 'the lunatics have taken over the asylum' impression.

Thanks for the reply. As a general rule if I don't know the number then I don't answer it. Also I would agree TPS made a difference to but after 8 years they have started to increase.

inkie

We are ex-directory - but somehow sellers (o800) numbers seem to track us down. I have caller display - so that I just ignore it - as I do calls from anyone else I don't want to speak to!

Dead_Eye_Jones

my missus insisted on this and witheld number too. tbh we never get any nuicance calls but then we never get any calls. I seem to only communicate via MSN or texts these days..

We also signed up to the telephone preference service, so maybe that helped too...

The only calls we get now are from BT themselves - bah!

Heinz

Dead_Eye_Jones wrote:

The only calls we get now are from BT themselves - bah!

One of the options when 'signing up' for BT Privacy via the freephone number is specifically to stop BT calling (the first is Caller Display, then there's TPS and finally BT).

BexTech

We have always been ex-directory completely, not in the phone book and not available to those who call DQ services. We are also on the TPS list. Did still get some calls, told them not to call again, they did, so we defended them with a whistle the next time they called, yes it's assault, but they were pestering us, so tough, and it worked.

Stompa

We're not ex-directory, but are registered with TPS. To be honest, I've never really seen any advantage in going ex-directory.

BexTech

We don't want people finding our number, we only want the people we have given the number to to have it.

ginger_nuts

I have always been ex directory .But at one time i used to get annoymous calls . I quickly realised it was one off my supervisors being a [EMAIL="b@stard"]b@stard[/EMAIL] .He always phoned when he came off night shift at 7:00am .
I never answered the phone , I never mentioned it in work but i got BT to change the number .
Two days later I overheard in work that I had changed my number .I knew I was on the right lines .

Stompa

BexTech wrote:

We don't want people finding our number, we only want the people we have given the number to to have it.

Fair enough. I'm not sure I can think of anybody who I wouldn't want to be able to find my number though!