Re: Call Blocker phones

Not many people phone me. It's mostly for the wife.
When these 'cold callers' phone, I sometimes 'play' with them.
If in the mood.
I know what times they call so I am ready for them.

Re: Call Blocker phones

I think I read somewhere that our hospital doesn't leave a number. We need to receive calls from there once in a while.

Can a call blocker phone be programmed to let a call through from a trusted source where the number is withheld?

Re: Call Blocker phones

Our GP surgery and hospital do that, when they ring us the person phoning always announces who they are and we pick up the phone. You can't with ours set it to accept as what's the point you would be letting them all in but they are happy to announce themselves not missed a call yet.

Re: Call Blocker phones

Thanks Julie. The hospital always asks my name before saying anything else and perhaps wouldn't speak further until I answered,

I don't know how clever call blocking phones are (hence the question). If only capable of having the same rule for all withheld numbers (i.e. you can't white list one), then it may not be suitable for us.

Re: Call Blocker phones

Ours just says this is St Peters hospital trust, when I pick up the phone they ask for the person, so no details are given without the person being on the line.

Re: Call Blocker phones

'Number Witheld' is a nuisance. I had a letter from Doc regarding some results and to say he had tried to contact me by phone - I do wish they would ring with a local Phone No. which I would pick up.

Re: Call Blocker phones

Thinking further, my brother prefers to withhold his number as well.

Re: Call Blocker phones

I feel so sorry for people plagued by nuisance calls.

We get so very few landline calls now I think if it happened to me I'd just leave them all for answerphone.

We've always been ex-directory here, so have never had problems. I would think our average would be fewer than 10 unwanted calls a year.

Our old phone was on its last legs so we've recently replaced it with a BT callblocker (not expensive at all) and it certainly works for unexpected calls. We've had workmen in the house and I've warned them that the phone won't let then through and they have to announce themselves - so they do and there's no further problem, When you allow them you can chose whether it's a one-off or whether they are now on the permitted list. You can insert all your friends and family, of course, and they are admitted without delay.

I've heard the doctor/hospital withheld number thing before - surely as more people get blockers, they will get used to announcing themselves. My dentist's receptionist had no problem saying who she was

PS I think I read a press article about the govt providing blocker phones for the elderly/vulnerable? Ring any bells (no pun intended) with anyone?

PPS Just because someone witholds their number doesn't mean they can't speak to you - but they will have to announce themselves and you can chose. You can always chose 'no, just this once' and they will be told that you are unavailable and sent to the answerphone. If your brother witholds his number every time then he will need to announce himself every time

Re: Call Blocker phones

I agree, Toffee. What do they want to hide their number for anyway?

As I said earlier, I've been ex-directory for donkeys years, yet lately I have got a block of 8 numbers who are pestering me.
Very rarely had any problems until the last week or so, so something odd is going on all of a sudden.

Re: Call Blocker phones

Same here, but that doesn't stop autodiallers and dialling programmes. They make hundreds of thousands of calls a day using incremental phone numbers dialled at random. I've been ex-directory for about 28 years, I registered with the TPS about 10 years ago and I still get cold-callers.