Anonymous caller rejection
 

Hi
Can someone please tell what the codes are for rejecting/allowing anonymous callers. I have had this on my phone for ages and like my voicemail has just disappeared. I've called NTL (pick me up off the floor i got through straight away) and they told me that they didn't know the codes for IP postcode and so have to add it on at their end. I was supposed to receive a call back tonight to confirm this had been set up but you know the rest......
Thanks

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

*227# turns it on
#227# turns it off
*#227# checks the status

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Thanks for the speedy reply, but with these codes I'm getting "number not recognised", or continuous tone. Does area make a difference, I live in an IP postcode?

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Yes it can. Have you asked customer service to add the feature. It must be activated by customer service first.

It depends on the type of exchange as well. Those codes are for Nokia Exchanges.

They are used in the north west

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Try 1478 to activate, 1479 to deactivate

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

No luck with these either. I guess that's another feature i'm going to have to wave goodbye to. Only about 2 months since i lost voicemail. And caller display, well i won't even begin...

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Have you asked customer service if the feature is available in your area.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

I thought all landline Telcos in the UK had to offer ACB by law/regulator?

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

To be honest I am not sure but I will find out tomorrow. I am an Engineer not Customer service. It might be that one of the customer service people will come along and let us know.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Unlikely - until recently not all exchanges would even be capable of it.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Correct

Just made a call and I am informed that not all Exchanges are capable of ACR and its not mandatory.

Good having your bosses home number :LOL:

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

I think that ACR is mandatory if CLI is offered.

http://www.ainslie.org.uk/callerid/cli_faq.htm#Q_17

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

But in my case it has simply gone from my phone service. Previously, all i have had to do is enter a pin to block and another to unblock. I assume then that either it is available in my area, or has recently been withdrawn. But why?

And since it hasn't been active the telesales calls have started. Lovely :mad:

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Try #66 and *66

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

*65 Turn on
#65 Turn off
Works for me

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Had this enabled on my landline for sometime now - what being registered with the TPS as well. Website here. I definitely do not get as many, if any, nuisance phone calls or sales persons ringing up. Handy combination. ;)

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

With a freshly installed NTL live, I tried the *227# code and received the voice message stationg the service wasn't available on my line. Calling CS over the last week I was told the following;
(1) The code is wrong (it isn't!)
(2) You need to fill out a form (you don't)
(3) It's a chargeable service (it isn't!)
(4) Given an 0800 number to call, which turned out to be ntl's Malicious Caller Information Line, that only gave advice.
(5) Advised the reason the service wasn't activated was because I asked for 'Anonymous Call Rejection' when it's really called 'Anonymous Call Blocking' (yes, right!)
(6) Before the CS operator can activate it, they have to email NL's Malicious Calls department to asks them to put it on the line.

Call me sceptical - but does anyone get the feeling ntl don;t want anyone to use this free service? I'm now told the service will be active tomorrow after the MC department can only put it on. We'll see!

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Well - it's finally applied to my line, and works as it should. A day or so later I received the following letter which may help others how ntl view the service:

Further to your telephone call to our Customer Services Department, I would like to confirm that Anonymous Call Rejection (ACR) has been added to your line. The facility can be controlled by you by dialling the following codes on your telephone:

Activate ACR dial *227#
Deactivate ACR #227#
Status Check *#227#

Please bear in mind that whilst this facility is active you will be unable to receive calls from any caller who withholds their telephone number. This may well include friends who call from their workplace, some schools and hospitals, where the number is automatically withheld rather than the individual choosing to withhold the number.

Anonymous Caller Rejection may not be generally available in your area at this time. However, because of the calls you are receiving (?) I am pleased to advise that the feature will be added on a discretionary test basis.

You will not be charged for the use of this feature. If in the future the feature is launched as a product and a monthly rental fee is introduced, you will of course be notified before any changes are applied.

In addition, to help you do not receive any sales or marketing calls in the future we would suggest you contact the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) on 0845 0700707 and the Fax Preference Service (FPS) on 0845 0700702. It will take up to 28 days for their marketing database to be updated.

If you still receive nuisance telephone calls whilst the AnonymousCall Rejection is active on your line or, you still receive nuisance telephone calls aftaer waiting the 28 day registration period with the TPS & FPS, then please call the Customer Services Department on 0800 052 2000 to report them.

Yours sincerely,
Nuisance Calls Bureau


Now - I'm unbsure why ntl make heavy weather of this being a 'special' service. Caller Display has been around for almost 10 years now, and I seriusly doubt whether any firm can justifiably say their equipment simply HAS to block the number. Esure (for example) will call with a fake Glasgow number that cannot be called back - this is against the rules, but does get round the problem. Having blocked numbers for the past 5 ywarsusing ACR, I can honestly say it has cut down much of the junk calls I receive, and as ntl provide this useful service FREE of charge, it makes considerable sense to make use of it wherever possible.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

CLI's are a potential minefield, a lot of Business PABX's do not send out their correct CLI's i.e the CLI of the extension from which the call was made but instead send out a default CLI which is usually their operators or billing number. At least you would be able to trace the company from this info. Sometimes the setting of the business customer's data at the public exchange prevents the CLI being sent out. I'm not sure but I think it's a chargeable facility for business customers. International calls are also a problem, a lot of carriers don't forward on the CLI to the destination exchange. I don't think there is any lawful requirement to do so. :erm:

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

There are two issues here - handling on national CLI, and those of International carriers. The latter isn't a problem, as inbound International calls can either display the correct number and country code, or be deemed 'International' with no number in the field. In both cases calls from these numbers will NOT be blocked by ACR.

For calls within the UK, the excuse that a PABX could not forward the relevant extension number is very lame these days... however with business practices meaning any CS staff could handle the enquiry, there is little point in providing the actual number of the calling extension. (Even more so when its an automated out-dial system that calls you first before connecting to a CS clerk). My concern is that there should be SOME form of number provided, a Presentation CLI number (for example) could give an 0870 number instead of the underlying 'real' number, if a telco cannot offer their clients even this most basic of services, then they deserve to lose all their customers until they do. It's really all about choice, more and more people feel they should have the right to receive calls only from those people who don't have a problem with providing their CLI information. If they do, then ACR is a good way to make this preference known!

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Many organisations don't want their number being given under CLI as their telephony system can't determine who on their system called you. If they have a very large switchboard they won't want it being deluged with calls saying that someone there called them if they don't know who to direct the call to.

A lot of call centres have a single non geographic number which can connect to several call centres. This can either determine the correct call centre to handle the call from CLI information, have a menu system for routing the calls or simply route you to a call centre with free agents. CLI is of no use if they call you.

A lot depends on the equipment that the telco has and also on the equipment that the caller or the callers network has. The telco can only alter their own equipment.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Hi,


Just spoke to CS and they said the following:

- ACR available in all NTL area's

- only able to turn on and off by CS

- Cost £1.75 a month.

I live in the Glasgow area. Anyone know if CS is right??

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

It's free for the ACR service

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Unlike BT who charge a whopping £4 per month (inc VAT)
https://www.bt.com/SelectServices/in...K&obsOID=53755

:tu: Well done NTL on this one.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Yes, had a problem recently where a business customer wanted the individual CLI's to be sent out so we duly enabled it on the switch. Customer complained that it didn't work so after analysing the signalling it turns out his equipment wasn't sending the correct CLI (OLI to be precise: Originating Line identity) to the exchange, the switch didn't recognise it as a valid extension number and defaulted to presenting the main billing number. The PABX maintainer said it would take too much work at his end to correct it !! :erm:

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Well so do I - and they're NOT! Seem my original post for the various explanations and errors. I suggest you call them back and ask again. Citing the relevant sections of their letter to me in an earlier posting where the correct situation is explained.

There are times you just wanna scream!
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But the issue is of anonimity, not that they've bought carp equipment that doesn't support it! If their quick fix is to set up a block withheld, they'll not get through, and to an ever increasing bunch of telephone users


This is what Presentation numbers are used for. Since any agent can usually access the customers details, if they answer with the correct company name then the recipient can probably provide the relevant information for them to 'find' you. The prospect of someone calling back in response to a non-appropriate CLI number I doubt will be a problem. Why should the person make a call at their expense? If someone is calling me, they can continue to do so until successful, or send me a letter. Once someone sees the cost of calling folk back, they'll quickly come to the same conclusion.

Absolutely, but whoever has the deficient equipment or service should get it fixed. NOT use 'Withheld' as a quick fix!

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Not all organisations are call centres with every member of staff having a computer screen in front of them. Think about very large companies such as Ford, universities, hospitals, government departments, hotels, etc. They may have switchboards that work perfectly for them so why should they spend possibly millions on altering them.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

I know of one company that had quite a nice way round this problem. The did provide a CLI number on outgoing calls. This number in no way actually represented who within the company had phoned but was connected to a recorded message that basically said "Someone from company x has called you and will try calling you back later".

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

i've had that too except they've been calling me upto three times a day, when i try and call them back on the number displayed on my phone a get an automated message so i can't even call to tell them to stop calling me!

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Either the call will give CLI or it won't. How can it tell you that a different number called to the one from which the call was made?

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Two reasons; (1) CLI has been with us for 10 years. If firms' cannot comprehend after this period of time that their system or service provider needs to embrace this (now rather old) technology, then they deserve to be ridiculed. There is no excuse for ignorance or non compliance, and as more and more of their calls go unanswered, they might just get the message. (2) Whether the person that called you had/has a computer screen is not the issue, sending forward any valid number - which when called gives a voice prompt that says who the firm is and to enter the extension number if they know it, is considerably better than being 'Withheld'. At least in the UK callers to ACR lines hear a recorded announcement telling them the reason WHY their call is not being answered. In the Republic of Ireland their ACR service (from Eircom) is far simpler. The phone's bell circuit does not ring! This means the caller is totally unaware the recipient is ignoring their calls, which to my mind is an apalling solution.
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Very easily. A 'presentaton number' is shown (like an 0870 or 0800) instead of the true underlying circuit number that the call originated from.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

A PABX can be set up to send any number it wants but the exchange has a facility to screen the number to ensure only valid extension numbers are sent. And as Okonski mentioned the exchange data can also be set up to replace the Presentation number with an entirely different number. A minefield. residential phone lines cannot control the originating CLI (unless they are ISDN.):erm:

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

True - but a res phone line can have a Presentation Number... Mine shjowns my old BT Flexnumber when I call someone, rather than the true line number.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Well I've learnt something new, I didn't know that PDN's were offered for Res lines. ;)

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Had ACR on for over a week now and its been working perfectly, however got back to the house this afternoon and seen on the phone list that there were 3 calls with number withheld. Checked from another phone and it ACR appears to be working correctly still (i.e. blocking withheld numbers) anybody know how these 3 calls got through?

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Did it say "number not available" or "number witheld" ??

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Funnily enough, this happened to me 3 years ago (genuinely 'Withheld' rather than 'Unavailable'). Calling the line, I discovered ACR was turned off. Further investigation revealed ntl CS attempted to call me, couldn't get through (as they block) and turned off the facility. They still didn't get me, but apart from the abuse of position, they could have at the very least turned it back on again....

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Is it possiable for NTL to change the CLI number for the 2 lines that i have. i would prefure them to use a 0845 number that i have.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

The short answer is 'Yes'. As a telco, ntl have the full capability to instruct the switch to send forward the desired number the customer requires. Therein lies two problems; (1) Finding anyone who will understand what you actually want, and know how to achieve it, and (2) Find an entry in the price list that tells billing how much to charge for providing the service. Of course, they could make it free (as ACR already is) but since any mention of Presentation Numbering on residential lines is totally unknown to them, they'll say 'No'. Sad, but I can almost guarantee this will be the result.

Re: Anonymous caller rejection
 

Your right, tried yesterday, and they say thay could'nt do it, but i shall try again.

Residential Presentation Numbering
 

We're way off topic now! Hopefully the title change will deflect the wrath of the mods! I would say that to achieve what you want, forget about speaking to anyone directly. Bearing in mind that you are effectively modifying your telephony installation (in a way) WRITE to Cusotmer Services, detailing what you require, and the number you wish presented instead of your own line number. It is also important to use the correct terminology, by requesting 'Number Presentation' for your line. This way, it is much easier for the letter to go through the system and end up with the department that CAN deal with your request. It most likely will be ntl's Provisioning department, but as they're not customer facing, you'll never get to speak with them directly to explain. Good luck!