PN Phone - International Calls Pestilence

I am getting an excess of "International" calls that are, one way or another, after my money. They are not answered as they come through on the CLI screen.

The last straw was one early this morning before I was fully awake. Speaking to PN it is apparently not possible to have all International calls blocked. I do know that they can be blocked on a "real" BT line.

Can anyone comment on this as it is so bad I may have to (with much regret) return to BT?.

Meldrew

It's not just PN Phone mate - I get AT LEAST 5 International calls per day and I'm with BT for my phone.

I have blocked incoming International calls but this hasn't made a difference. I can't remember the website I went on to do it but it was the offical one.

Edited by WelshWArrior (Thu 24-Jan-13 14:58:25)

This happens on BT also.

We are all plagued by this as our phone #s have leaked to the whole wide world.

Don't blame PN and no point in returning to BT.

I eventually decided to get one of these. A tad expensive, but worth every penny

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

This happens on BT also.

We are all plagued by this as our phone #s have leaked to the whole wide world.

Don't blame PN and no point in returning to BT.

This is the point of returning to BT -

In reply to a post by meldrew:

Speaking to PN it is apparently not possible to have all International calls blocked. I do know that they can be blocked on a "real" BT line.

Can you post a link to that as I can't find the option listed anywhere and there are quite a few grumbles in the BT forums about it and I also suffer from it
All I could find was the ability to block number withheld calls but that still wouldn't stop international unknown calls

Edited by deleted (Thu 24-Jan-13 17:11:08)

Oh look BT do offer call blocking...

Nuisance call blocker

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

This is the point of returning to BT -
I do know that they can be blocked on a "real" BT line.

How does one do that? Linky?

A misleading response!

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

This is the point of returning to BT -

In reply to a post by meldrew:

I do know that they can be blocked on a "real" BT line.

Oh, I now see! BT can't block them but they know a device that can.

Then this device must be equally effective on a PN line, so there is still no point in returning to BT.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

This is the point of returning to BT -
I do know that they can be blocked on a "real" BT line.

How does one do that? Linky?

You ring BT and they do it for you.

BT certainly have many options and advice available for their phone service. And a device they'll sell you too.

Unwanted calls

Yes, Call Barring for £3.15 pm

EDIT: Think BT told me of wrong feature. He was talking about outgoing calls when I was asking about incoming calls .

Edited by XRaySpeX (Thu 24-Jan-13 20:04:12)

I like this one

Stop unwanted sales or marketing calls

If you're receiving unwanted sales or marketing calls or recorded messages, you can ask the marketer to stop calling you

The machine does that. All at their expense

In reply to a post by wingco1:

The machine does that. All at their expense

I think the Trucall is the way to go

I've searched through the BT features and can't find one that blocks incoming international calls.

On BT I think you can block all calls where the number isn't available, (that includes number withheld as well as the international spam calls), from when I was trying to do the same as the OP wishes.

Unfortunately that isn't any use to us as we often get number withheld calls from doctors, hospitals and the like.

Not quite correct - sorry
http://bt.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8500/...

Anonymous Call Rejection

Allows the automatic rejection of all calls where the caller has actively withheld their number. This will not reject calls where the caller can't send a calling line identity, for instance calls from international numbers.

Trucall looks promising but not cheap! Pity the telcos can't all get together on this one as something certainly needs to be done about it.

I suppose I should feel better that it is not personal!!

Meldrew

I know - £100! Especially given the target market would not have that sort of money washing around.

It's the sort of device that would sell loads at £25 but £100 is too much for most people. You've got to have a very severe problem to want to shell out £100.

If they were making and selling loads they could probably do it for £25 so it's a bit chicken and egg. It's a free world and the makers can choose to sell at any price point they wish. In particular they can choose to make more profit per device on fewer sales or less profit on more sales.

If there were competing devices the price would drop.

Remembered it:

Telephone Preference Service

In reply to a post by WelshWArrior:

Remembered it:

Telephone Preference Service

I'm registered with TPS but it doesn't stop daily calls from Indian call centres telling me I've had an accident, my Windows PC has a virus, I've won a prize, I've been picked to participate in a survey, etc, etc. It only seems to stop (most) calls from genuine UK marketers.

Nope it's pretty useless let's be honest!

I even had an International call last year saying that the tablets I'm on are not strong enough and that I cold 'buy' some better ones form them!!

In reply to a post by WelshWArrior:

Nope it's pretty useless let's be honest!

I even had an International call last year saying that the tablets I'm on are not strong enough and that I cold 'buy' some better ones form them!!

Maybe they're offering industrial strength iPads?

hahahaha - maybe

In reply to a post by WelshWArrior:

Telephone Preference Service

Has no jurisdiction over non-UK registered cos. Tho' it will handle UK cos. calling from abroad providing you can get the firm's name out of the caller, which they are loath to divulge, as the phone # is withheld.

You said earlier that you blocked International calls with them They don't actually block calls; they take complaints about them and are supposed to have a word with them.

It also does not stop recorded messages which are all the marketing calls we get now.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by WelshWArrior:

Telephone Preference Service

Has no jurisdiction over non-UK registered cos.

The TPS is actually the UK's implementation of an EU directive, so it applies EU wide.

Companies get around the restriction using VoIP to SS7 interconnects outside the EU. Using SS7 gives them direct control over the caller line identity data. Typically they inject rubbish which the UK phone network marks invalid, leading to "Unavailable" caller ID, which they prefer to "International" (which is what is presented if the phone network is sure the call originated from abroad).


I have a trueCall box, as mentioned earlier in the thread - I bought it after being subjected to criminally malicious calls from some fool at one of the call spammers, who took objection to me hanging up on him. Unfortunately, I didn't install the box and call recording card until a day after the last call, which meant there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute, though the police tracked down the caller and added his details to their intelligence files.

The box works, but the hardware is a bit clunky - in particular, the web interface works via the box calling a server in London about once a day. It really could do with an Ethernet port and the web interface running directly on the box. If I ever find the time, I intend to implement the core functionality in Asterisk or similar, so I can run it on one of my servers here and discard the box.


The 'Zap' feature is quite satisfying to deploy against a spam caller. It won't stop them calling back (as they don't present valid caller ID), but it makes it clear that you aren't interested without any raised voices. Indeed, you can hang up whilst they stay on the line listening to your Zap message. The message loops if they don't take the hint.

In reply to a post by David_W:

The TPS is actually the UK's implementation of an EU directive, so it applies EU wide.

India isn't in Europe!

Rarely get any from Europe; maybe 2 French ones in a few years.

leading to "Unavailable" caller ID, which they prefer to "International"

Nearly every one of my nuisance calls shows "International" in Caller Display.

Hi,

I know these type of calls can be really annoying and the TPS service if always the first port of call.

We do have a couple of other options that can limit the calls coming in but as they're international it can be harder to prevent.

You can see them here.

Hope this helps.

Shouldn't that page also include a link to http://www.fpsonline.org.uk/fps/ (Fax Preference Service) for people who are getting nuisance Fax calls? We had to do that because the number we were given last January belonged to a business a few years ago and we were getting faxes for things like office supplies.

Nothing there to help with International calls. I had read it before I posted. Could be useful to block calls from one's bank manager I suppose!

Meldrew

There's a [Raspberry Pi] app for that. Works elsewhere too, but the Raspberry price is attractive.

Haven't tried it but sounds potentially more promising for Geeky Joe Public on a budget than either TruCall or Asterisk

http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=62...

I've just migrated to Plusnet from O2 where I used to pay a monthly charge to block withheld numbers but it didn't block ones which my phone displayed as "INTERNATIONAL" or "UNAVAILABLE", so I bought one of these devices:
http://www.idealworld.tv/SearchGridView.aspx?fh_loca...
Not had it long but it seems to work (once you enter the code to turn it on!).

These are a bit more expensive, but i have found mine superb over the last three years. Total control through a web page.
https://www.truecall.co.uk/call-blocker.aspx

I'm not with PN, but these types of calls drive me nuts.

Another possible option is to get a phone which has a reject list you can add nuisance callers to, and set to reject calls where no caller ID is available, including international calls. Any of these calls do not ring the phone.

Obviously this won't help if you receive genuine calls from overseas, and there is the problem of genuine callers whose line permanently withholds caller ID, although you can forewarn those callers to push their caller ID by dialling '1470' before your number.

I know some of the Panasonic cordless models have this facility, probably many others.

Edited by sparky_paul (Sun 27-Jan-13 13:50:12)

Afternoon Robertos

Consider the following situation.

You return home to find there has been a call from-

08006783393

No other information on the phone - and not publicised.

Not knowing whether it is important or not, you ring it back-

(Try ringing it, listen carefully to the Recorded Message)

Struggling to see the relevance of this, in the context of this thread?

Gets a good review on Amazon but surprisingly more people bought the more expensive Trucall. I'll leave my option open for a while I think.

In reply to a post by eckiedoo:

You return home to find there has been a call from-

08006783393

No other information on the phone - and not publicised.

When that happens I look at the recorded messages- if they cba'd to leave a message then I cba'd to ring them back

If I was expecting a call from the NHS in Glasgow I'd ring back as I'd probably know what it was about.

(30 seconds in Google to find that out)

The relevance is that similar to the International, Withheld etc calls, it amounts to a NUISANCE CALL as presently organised.

By simply altering the Recorded Messqge to being-
"This was a call from NHS Scotland. Please contact the Department or Unit you may have been expecting a Call from."
or similar,

It then becomes a Call of Some Use.

======================================================

Acknowledging the following is in response to some of the other postings-

Although clearly I have access to Google etc to discover it was an NHS Call, many particularly of the older generation, do not have such access.

Also generally, the NHS and similar callers do not leave messages on Answering Machines. Privacy Issues.

Consider the following.

We for three years recently, had problems with NHS et sim Phone Calls, insisting on speaking to my 90 year old relative, yet being aware that she was suffering from dementia; and that we were her recognised carers in all senses, from providing living accommodation, to personal care etc, 24 hours, 365 days, no holidays, practically no relief etc.

To have to resort to Google to find out the source/s of relatively important but non-identified phone calls, was decidedly a NUISANCE, in the same league as WITHHELD, NOT AVAILABLE, Itl, INTERNATIONAL etc.

Yes, I did Google it; and included it in our phone systems Directories (7 Handsets to be updated).

BUT again think of those without PCs, Internet etc.

In reply to a post by eckiedoo:

By simply altering the Recorded Messqge to being-
"This was a call from NHS Scotland. Please contact the Department or Unit you may have been expecting a Call from."
or similar,

It then becomes a Call of Some Use.

The reason that the call includes no details and the number is often withheld is because of confidentiality. If a woman in a situation of domestic violence missed a call from the gynaecology department dealing with an intended abortion, mere awareness by someone else with access to the phone that there had been a call from an NHS organisation may put her in danger.

In reply to a post by eckiedoo:

The relevance is that similar to the International, Withheld etc calls, it amounts to a NUISANCE CALL as presently organised.

Just because you have a bad experience of receiving calls from the NHS doesn't make them a nuisance call for all... I haven't called the number and listened to the message but it seems that a) a useful number is presented, b) there is the means of identifying who called and c) there was a justifiable reason for the call.

None of the reasons above apply to the OP so I still don't see the relevance in the context of this thread...

My understanding of the CONTEXT of the thread was how to suppress Nuisance Calls, such as International, Withheld etc.

That Number is almost certainly a PRESENTATION Number; and my understanding of those is that they are legally required to identify the source, ie company, business, organisation ec, using it, to prevent the Called Recipient ringing back directly to the Call Originator.

NHS Scotland covers about a dozen Trusts etc.

The same PN is used across most if not all of them.


Please try ringing that PN and listen to the Recorded Message.


I checked it just before making my original post.

Then imagine you do not have access to the Internet, do not know what and can not be done using the Internet etc; and that the PN is not mentioned in any published documentation such as Display Advert pages in Phone Directories etc.

" This number does not accept incoming calls"

No mention of NHS or extensions of it, associated organisations etc.

Thus completely anonymous, so a mis-use of a Presentation Number.

That to me, makes it a Nuisance Call, similar to the others previously mentioned.


Just checked it again, this time using my mobile phone - the leading zero has to be dropped.

In reply to a post by ferretuk:

None of the reasons above apply to the OP so I still don't see the relevance in the context of this thread...

Perhaps worth commenting that the OP (me!) is of a view that Withheld calls such as from banks or hospital are particularly irritating because you MAY actually want to speak to them with out the potential cost and time waste of making a call back.

If people really do want to speak to you I cannot understand their reasoning for withholding the number (and possibly leaving an unintelligible message) in the first place. This is the 21st century for Heaven's sake!

In reply to a post by meldrew:

I cannot understand their reasoning for withholding the number

In the case of the hospitals; the staff probably don't decide to withhold their number it's done by their technical department... usually because the hospital doesn't want to give out their outgoing only DDI numbers. Funding might also be an issue.

Thanks Tim
Edited: to insert hospitals

Edited by timl (Mon 28-Jan-13 10:24:19)

In reply to a post by timl:

usually because the hospital doesn't want to give out their outgoing only DDI numbers.

Is it that hard for the CLI to be the switchboard number?

In reply to a post by kasg:

In reply to a post by timl:

usually because the hospital doesn't want to give out their outgoing only DDI numbers.

Is it that hard for the CLI to be the switchboard number?

That would be a potential confidentiality issue as I explained here, and switchboard CLI wouldn't offer a useful way of returning the call unless you know who in the hospital was trying to contact you.


University College London Hospitals have one switchboard number for multiple hospitals - indeed, I believe the switchboard at University College Hospital now covers all their sites. Switchboard CLI would leave you unsure which hospital was ringing you. I'm a patient at the National Hospital for Neurology and have no dealings with the rest of UCLH, but I deal with multiple departments there so switchboard CLI would be largely useless.

It seems that UCLH have a policy of preferring mobiles when calling patients, presumably to minimise the risks of making another person sharing the phone aware of the person's dealing with the hospital.