Would removing one of the pins from the plug that goes into the socket have the same effect? If so, which one is it? Thx.
Only if you have no extensions from the socket.
If the phone cable from the dangle filter is quite long then it can sometimes be advantageous to tape over the bell wire connector on the male phone plug with a very narrow piece of prepared insulation tape.
Obviously if the phone is fairly old then it may need the bell wire connected to actually ring though...