BT 'Call Protect'

Charlton_King

Just rang BT in connection with calls we received today and signed up for this feature. I'd never heard of it before but as it's free of charge I couldn't see what harm it could do.

They claim to be able to block even those numbers which are made on a 'withheld' basis.

Has anybody any experience of it?

kpwll

I've had it for a few months, never tried blocking a withheld number, but with all those scammy/cold call phone calls, I just dial 1572 and they are blocked.


As it doesn't cost anything it's worth trying.

MarkFromCornwall

Charlton_King wrote: »

They claim to be able to block even those numbers which are made on a 'withheld' basis.

The option is to block all calls from callers who are withholding their number, not from a specific caller who is withholding his number.

chrisw

The downside with blocking all withheld numbers is that places like hospitals and doctors tend to use them so not so good if you're expecting a call from them.

Although presumably blocking withheld numbers can be turned off if needs be.

JamoLew

Hospital switchboards can remove the number withheld feature if required, which then stops the call getting blocked. Not sure about other organisations

datostar

If you access BT Call Protect via the website you can examine recently received calls. Withheld numbers appear there with a time and can be individually blocked without affecting other withheld calls you wish to let through. This is distinct from the global setting to block all withheld calls. I've done it several times. You have far more control over the system by using the website rather than dialling 1572. I'm very pleased with it.

firefox1956

We have used it for just over a year now.
Works well but has its limitations.
Manage it online is the best way to use it I find.
Only thing is if you have to allow international calls the scammers get to you by using an international prefix.
However you can go online & block that particular number but the scammers then start to alter the last digit & then get through....but only once !!
We have had over 300 calls sent to Junk Mail by Call Protect in the last year.
HTH

JJ_Egan

I use along with a BT8500 call blocking phone .

Sallybg

I'm wondering about this for my untechy mum.
Do you have to have a normal voicemail set up (she doesn't have one and I don't think she'd want one) or can you just send nuisance calls to junk (which she never needs to check)?
Can you choose between blocking international and blocking withheld or unrecognised or do you have to block all three?

Thanks!

Lambyr

Our home phone (BT8600) comes with a very similar feature. I've found that it has significantly reduced the number of junk calls. After a few weeks, junk calls tailed off and now we hardly ever get any calls.

However, there are a couple of quirks. I've noticed that often important calls from hospitals, local councils, etc. come via withheld numbers. Therefore, rather than block withheld numbers, we've forced them to announce who they are before they get put through.

Some people who announce themselves then won't stay on the line long enough to let you give the OK. Perhaps they don't realise that it's only after they've said who they are and why they're calling that the phone rings on my end, so I still have to get to it and listen to the message? Either way it might cause some issues.

We also found that some relatives, mostly older relatives, have been hanging up - presumably because they're getting a bit confused by the process.

But - those things aside - I'd rather have that mild inconvenience of having to call people back than the inconvenience of several pointless calls per day. I've yet to find one scammer, spam caller or other nuisance call who has gone to the trouble of announcing themselves, so the phone never rings for them.

missile

HMRC use number withheld too