Suitable phones or packages to block cold calling?

peter021072

Everyone knows that using the BT site to block numbers or being on the TPS is useless.  Is the only option to pay BT extra to have a restricted list of friends and family who can contact you? What are the other options? Expensive phones can do this I think but it really annoys me that after all these years phone companies and telephone manufactures are pocketing in on the failure to deter these calls. 

Mark_d

I haven't used a landline phone for 20 years.  My £4.50 per month deal with Lebara works well for all the UK and international calls I make.  I use an app called Truecaller on my mobile to block nuissance calls and texts

Robin9

My BT phones have a built in call blocker and are brilliant at blocking calls.  No extra charge and you don't' need to be with BT.

Agree the TPS is virtually useless - only the legit companies register .

MACKEM99

We have a landline but never answer it.  If it is a friend of urgent call we call them back.  Even if we are at home we wait till the answer machine kicks in and if it's a friend or family we still can pick the phone up and speak to them.

J_B

Not everyone uses a mobile for various reasons!

Our in-laws have a BT phone with some sort of call blocker in.

If the number is in their contacts, it just rings normally. If not, the caller has to press a key on their phone and say who they are and the call goes through - most spammers obviously don't do that!

peter021072

Robin9 said:

My BT phones have a built in call blocker and are brilliant at blocking calls.  No extra charge and you don't' need to be with BT.

Agree the TPS is virtually useless - only the legit companies register .

What model is this?   I think BT will be changing me to digital soon but I doubt if the model they offer would do this.

peter021072

Mark_d said:

I haven't used a landline phone for 20 years.  My £4.50 per month deal with Lebara works well for all the UK and international calls I make.  I use an app called Truecaller on my mobile to block nuissance calls and texts

I've just bought a Motorola g62 smartphone and a Lebara contract. I was hoping the phone would do this but I'm still battling away through the menus which is almost a frustrating as the calls, and it won't affect the landline calls which are the problem at the moment.  I'll have a look at truecaller and consider telling all friends and family to call me on mobile only.

flaneurs_lobster

peter021072 said:

Robin9 said:

My BT phones have a built in call blocker and are brilliant at blocking calls.  No extra charge and you don't' need to be with BT.

Agree the TPS is virtually useless - only the legit companies register .

What model is this?   I think BT will be changing me to digital soon but I doubt if the model they offer would do this.

The BT Essential Digital Home Phone (which I got for free when converted to Digital Voice but I don't think they give them away anymore) does do Call Protect which I think is the service being described.

peter021072

flaneurs_lobster said:

peter021072 said:

Robin9 said:

My BT phones have a built in call blocker and are brilliant at blocking calls.  No extra charge and you don't' need to be with BT.

Agree the TPS is virtually useless - only the legit companies register .

What model is this?   I think BT will be changing me to digital soon but I doubt if the model they offer would do this.

The BT Essential Digital Home Phone (which I got for free when converted to Digital Voice but I don't think they give them away anymore) does do Call Protect which I think is the service being described.

I've just contacted BT about this phone, indeed they don't offer it any more. They suggest the best way of stopping scam calls is to give up the landline.  However, that can only happen after my contract finishes, or by  taking the wire out of the socket!

JSmithy45AD

peter021072 said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

peter021072 said:

Robin9 said:

My BT phones have a built in call blocker and are brilliant at blocking calls.  No extra charge and you don't' need to be with BT.

Agree the TPS is virtually useless - only the legit companies register .

What model is this?   I think BT will be changing me to digital soon but I doubt if the model they offer would do this.

The BT Essential Digital Home Phone (which I got for free when converted to Digital Voice but I don't think they give them away anymore) does do Call Protect which I think is the service being described.

I've just contacted BT about this phone, indeed they don't offer it any more. They suggest the best way of stopping scam calls is to give up the landline.  However, that can only happen after my contract finishes, or by  taking the wire out of the socket!

We've got this BT phone which works perfectly, quite why they think mobiles don't get scam calls is beyond imagining.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0787KRDFT

peter021072

JSmithy45AD said:

peter021072 said:

flaneurs_lobster said:

peter021072 said:

Robin9 said:

My BT phones have a built in call blocker and are brilliant at blocking calls.  No extra charge and you don't' need to be with BT.

Agree the TPS is virtually useless - only the legit companies register .

What model is this?   I think BT will be changing me to digital soon but I doubt if the model they offer would do this.

The BT Essential Digital Home Phone (which I got for free when converted to Digital Voice but I don't think they give them away anymore) does do Call Protect which I think is the service being described.

I've just contacted BT about this phone, indeed they don't offer it any more. They suggest the best way of stopping scam calls is to give up the landline.  However, that can only happen after my contract finishes, or by  taking the wire out of the socket!

We've got this BT phone which works perfectly, quite why they think mobiles don't get scam calls is beyond imagining.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0787KRDFT

I'm sure once scam callers get to know a number is being used they will come thick and fast  However, I think most modern mobile smartphones can already do what that BT phone does, although I would need to download an app for mine.

Perhaps BT were reluctant to spend anything on stopping scam calls because it encourages people to buy their expensive landline phones to stop them. I doubt if I could justify a landline once the contract runs out.