VOIP Call Screening devices ?

I have recently ported my former PTSN landline as a VOIP line to AAISP

As I'm using a Gigaset N300A IP, my previous call screening device (Truecall) which is PTSN based no longer works and consequently I am being plagued by unwanted calls!

One solution I have considered to reinstate the Truecall device is to purchase a ATA Telephone Adapter - eg say a Granstream HT802 and use this (rather than the N300A) as the VOIP connection endpoint. Essentially I would be reverting to using the PTSN functionality of the N300A. However I note that the Truecall website does not recommend using ATA adapters.

Does anyone know of a comparable device that works with VOIP or any software (eg running on say a Raspberry Pi) that could provide such functionality ?

Looking around there appears to be a dearth of such devices, but I cannot but help think as telephony migrates to VOIP this will become a wider issue.

Cheers

freepbx would do the job, but it would be a learning curve http://www.raspberry-asterisk.org/

I've used an Asterisk-based VOIP system (like FreePBX) for some years and I've found that a very effective anti-spam technique is to program the system to answer a call and play a short announcement ("Please hold the line, we're connecting your call") before ringing any of the house phones.

Almost all nuisance callers (or the automatic dialling systems they use) interpret this as an answering machine and hang up, whereas genuine callers wait. I don't even know the nuisance callers have called until I check the logs.

Thanks for the suggestions - Having has a quick look I suspect that Asterisks is rather overkill for what I need (as well as having somewhat of a steep learning curve).

That said if the call spammers continue at the current rate I may have to go down this route.
Cheers

There is an option in the control panel to block withheld/ unknown callers which may help.

I wonder if turning on the announcement that the call is being recorded (even if you don't turn on the actual call recording) would make them think twice.

Many years ago I did this with FreePBX/Asterisk, but I don't use that anymore as I don't host it locally. I currently use Flextel and have two phone numbers. One which is an 03 number which is unlikely to get spam calls, and one which is a normal local area code which can and does occasionally receive spam calls.

The 03 number is a direct connection to my phone, while the local area code number points to an IVR system where it has a pre-recorded message telling them to press 1 to be connected pretty much. If they don't press 1 then it won't silently redirect them to my 03 number. Not the best setup I imagine but it works.

Thanks to all for yet further suggestions and observations.

As I continued to be plagued by unwanted SPAM callers (some international, some ostensibly local, but patently also international) somewhat in desperation I decided to go down the Grandstream HT802 route and purchased the same.

I utilised the Grandstream as my VOIP connection point to AAISP and then connected one of its 2 FXS (RJ11) ports to the input side of my Truecall device (required a RJ11 to BT Socket adapter). I then connected the RJ11 output on the Truecall device to the RJ11 PTSN input (RJ11) port on my Gigaset N300A IP.

The Gigaset Control Panel successfully showed a PTSN connection and test calls show that the Truecall device is operating totally normally and I am back in business!!

The average cost of an overnight call to AAISP to synchronise the Truecall unit is currently 2p (takes under a minute).

As an added bonus I can still use the remaining 5 VOIP accounts on the Gigaset, plus there is a spare FXS port on the Grandstream (obviously these will not NOT protected by Truecall device),

For the record the Truecall unit did require a firmware update (I rang their help desk and they imitated the same via the usual modem dial up call route). Mine is quite an old device >5 years old.

Current Truecall firmware I am using is

Runtime Version 34.11
Macro Version 6.28

Gigaset firmware is

42.250 (422500000000 / V42.00)

Delighted to be back to peace and quiet.

Hi farrinaf,

I'm in a similar position to yours, but my Truecall unit is failing its weblinks after switching to VoIP using a Grandstream HT01 (same as the 802, but only one port).

The Truecall unit has been updated (mine was old too) and works OK for incoming and outgoing calls, except for taking voicemail and making weblinks. I've tried it on another landline and it weblinks OK on that.

I was wondering whether there is some relevant Grandstream setting I've missed. My VoIP service is Sipgate and I used their settings. I've tried some UK dial tone and ring settings, etc, but still no joy.

Truecall support are on the case, but it's clearly a problem with my VoIP.

Can you say what changes you made to the Grandstream config settings?

Hi
I'm in a similar situation haing been moved to SOGEA/VOIP. I have a Fritzbox router with integrated VOIP/Anserphone.

I have been in touch with the makers and they have shown how to configure it to configure a 'whitelist'. IE For callers in your phone book it behaves as normal (inc answerphone). If the caller is not in my phone book they get sent to answerphone 2 where they get a message 'Your number is not recognised. Please leave a message and I will call back.' Its a bit messy to set up but they have put it forward to developers as a feature request to mke it easier to configure. I have not yet tested it but PM me if you want more details.

In reply to a post by DrBob:

Hi
I'm in a similar situation haing been moved to SOGEA/VOIP. I have a Fritzbox router with integrated VOIP/Anserphone.

I have been in touch with the makers and they have shown how to configure it to configure a 'whitelist'. IE For callers in your phone book it behaves as normal (inc answerphone). If the caller is not in my phone book they get sent to answerphone 2 where they get a message 'Your number is not recognised. Please leave a message and I will call back.' Its a bit messy to set up but they have put it forward to developers as a feature request to mke it easier to configure. I have not yet tested it but PM me if you want more details.

Dr Bob, when you refer to "the makers" above do you mean AVM the fritzbox makers or Truecall?
I am about to join Zen ISP from virgin so no DSL line installed yet. ZEN now only offer VOIP using what I assume is an ATA built into the Fritz box into which I will connect my existing phone pair after disconnecting it from virgin. I already have an analogue answering machine and not planning to use the fritzbox one.
I would like pick up a used truecall off ebay etc to cut down the junk calls. I'm not at all clued up on VOIP or much of the terminology used further up this thread. Any guidance you can offer will be most welcome. TIA

Hi, see below correspondence from AVM. Two other things I have found:

1)The Tellows call blocker app (see Fritzbox website) seems to block about 90% of my spam. I was not expecting it to be so good.

2) If you have problems with 999 or 111 calls check the setting telephony-telephone number-xxx-telephone number format, 'preceed number dialed for both area code and country code' should be set to 'none'.. The current default for the Fritzbox is incorrect, but I think Zen apply a fix as part or their setup script.

I have found AVM support is very good.

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

Thank you very much for the enquiry you sent to our AVM support team.

There is no such "Whitelist" feature in the FRITZ!Box that would allow your telephones to ring only when a known person in your telephone book is calling.

Thus, I have forwarded your wish as an enhancement request to our product management team.

We always focus on our customers' wishes and needs when further developing our products and in the past we were able to implement numerous suggestions from our customers.

Workaround:

You could configure a call diversion for "Calls from all persons in the telephone book" and divert them to a specific telephone which then will ring only if the caller is in your telephone book.

Or you could configure a dummy number like "1234567" in the FRITZ!Box. You will not receive external calls for that number, of course.
Now let all telephones react on number "1234567" but not your real numbers.
Have a call diversion for all incoming "Calls from all persons in the telephone book" and divert them to 1234567.
Now the telephones will ring on incoming calls only if the caller is listed in the telephone book because now their number "1234567" is dialed via call diversion.

For all other events have an answering machine reacting on all incoming calls (after 15sec, for example) which will let your answering machine answer all callers whose number is not listed in your telephone book.
• Setting up call diversion in the FRITZ!Box

Do not forget:

Configure your telephones not to react on "all incoming calls" or on "all telephone numbers" but to react on the number "1234567" only.

Then it will never ring - except in those cases in which the call diversion diverts the caller from the telephone book to number "1234567".
Any other call will then exclusively answered by the answering machine (= any call from a caller who's not listed in the telephone book).

=================================
CREATING A DUMMY NUMBER
Simply add a new internet telphone number "1234567" (or other) as a new internet telephone number to the FRITZ!Box as described in this link:
• Configuring internet telephone numbers in FRITZ!Box

Ignore any messages that the number could not be registered (as it is a dummy number) and end the wizard.

Afterwards, you will find a telephone number "1234567" (which is not registered) in the list of your telephone numbers in the FRITZ!Box but can be assigned to your telephones though!

The call diversion configuration is described in this link:
• Setting up call diversion in the FRITZ!Box

Thank you for your reply.
90% less spam sound useful to me however I've been unable to find any reference to Tellow or Tellows using search on the AVM website. Could you point me in the right direction please.

TVM

https://shop.tellows.de/en/scorelist-fritzbox-new.html

In reply to a post by DrBob:

There is no such "Whitelist" feature in the FRITZ!Box that would allow your telephones to ring only when a known person in your telephone book is calling.

Using a FRITZ!Box with VoIP from AAISP I abused the DND feature.

The FRITZ!Box telephony device has 'Enable Do Not Disturb' ticked with always ring except daily 00:00 to 24:00, and all telephone book entries have 'Important person (calls from these telephone numbers ring even when Do Not Disturb is on)' ticked.

Incoming calls which do not match any phonebook entries are rejected by the FRITZ!Box, then the AAISP system can be configured in various ways such as just playing the caller an announcement, or playing an announcement then taking a message and emailing it.

Hi farrinaf

Sorry, to bring this dead thread back to life.

I also have a Truecall unit, it is 15 years old, and has been recently updated, but the firmware version does not match yours, also on AAISP, and have a Grandstream HT812

Mine also fails the Weblink, I suspect now it could be the unit maybe I was originally told, it maybe too old to upgrade, but it is now running a different firmware but nothing like you version

does your unit, have the words truecall (different colours) and Blocker on the unit ?

I went through all the Grandstream device setting UK settings froim another thread

https://forums.thinkbroadband.com/voip/4729179-aa-vo...