How to block calls on your landline

Q: Can I block a phone number on my landline?

If your home phone is a traditional landline that doesnt use the internet (VoIP), you can buy and install a call-blocking device. Call-blocking devices are typically small boxes you attach to your phone. Some devices use databases of known scam numbers but let you add numbers you want blocked.

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Call Intercept picks up incoming calls that do not have a valid phone number. Callers must identify themselves before the Call Intercept feature rings your phone and plays the recorded name of the caller. You must have Caller ID to use Call Intercept.

Customers in CT, DC, DE, MA, NJ, NY, PA, RI, and VA who currently subscribe to the product and remove it will not be able to re-order.

Call Intercept is not available for rotary dial service. All calling features are subject to availability and compatibility restrictions.

The first time you use Call Intercept, call toll-free 1.800.527.7070 from the phone that has Call Intercept and follow the voice prompts to set your security PIN. After you set your security PIN, you can call into the system from any phone to make changes to your Call Intercept settings.

Use Anonymous Call Rejection to block unwanted calls from anonymous and private numbers. For instance, if a sales person calls you from a blocked number, they hear:

"The party you are calling does not accept blocked calls. If you are calling from a blocked number, please hang up, pick up the receiver, press *87 and redial the phone number. When you do this, your name and number will appear for this call only."

In many areas, Anonymous Call Rejection comes with Caller ID. In some areas, you need to order it separately. Either way, when it's first installed, it's turned off, so you need to turn it on. Do this by pressing *77 on your phone. You'll hear two beeps once it's on.

This calling feature only stops anonymous and private calls. Other types of calls that lack the info needed for Caller ID, such as out of area, unavailable, unknown, or not provided, cannot be blocked with this feature.

Remember to always be careful about who you talk to on the phone and don't give out personal information to strangers. There are various phone scams that can be hard to figure out whether it's a scammer calling you or not, such as the fake ISP phone call scam or the Windows tech support scam.

The number of nuisance calls on landline might be decreasing, but they’re still a problem and an annoying one at that. More importantly though, people can end up being scammed, especially those who are less tech-savvy. To stop cold calls on your landline, there are a couple of things you can do:

Step 1: Block calls using your phone provider

Did you know that most phone providers offer a free service where they block any suspicious numbers from calling you? It’s quick, easy and a no-brainer if you’re feeling harassed by nuisance calls.

BT Call Protect is free to all BT customers and will auto-divert calls that seem to be fraudulent or from nuisance callers. You can also compile a blacklist of numbers if you want to. Find out more in our handy BT Call Protect guide.

Step 2: Buy a landline with call-blocking technology

All BT phones feature the trueCall Virtual Assistant, which will block up to 100% of nuisance calls – ideal when you’re at your wits’ end. Our system means that you only talk to the people you choose to. Simple.

You can even block calls from everyone other than those in your address book if you want. If you already have a list of blocked numbers, you can easily add them manually, the same way you would add a list of contacts.

Here’s how it works when you get an unknown call:

When you have an incoming call, the handset will show ‘announced call’. When you pick up the handset, you’ll hear the caller’s message saying who they are, so you can decide whether to take the call or send to answerphone.
If you don’t want to do either, simply press the ‘block’ button. The caller will be told that their call isn’t accepted and will be disconnected.
The number will then be blocked and added to the blocked calls list. If that number calls again they’ll hear, “Calls to this number are being screened by Call Guardian, the person you’re calling is not accepting your call. Please hang up.”
You can also do this if you’re already in a call or answered it by accident. Pushing the ‘block’ button will add the number to your blocked numbers list and they won’t be able to contact you again.

The best call-blocking phones

Take your pick from these sophisticated, easy-to-use phones, complete with our unique, award-winning call-blocker technology.

BT Premium Phone (One Handset) – featuring a 3000-number directory, last-30-number redial and a large graphic display so you can easily see your missed calls and messages.
BT Advanced Phone (One Handset) – with a hands-free speaker, long-range reception and 22 hours of talking time (240 hours on standby). Ability to block up to 1,000 numbers.
BT4600 Premium Nuisance Call Blocker (Single) – is able to record up to 60 minutes of messages, block up to 1,000 numbers and comes in handy if you like large buttons and a large screen.
You can also do this if you’re already in a call or answered it by accident. Pushing the ‘block’ button will add the number to your blocked numbers list and they won’t be able to contact you again.

How to stop nuisance calls on mobile phones

The ‘block’ button on your smartphone will become your new best friend if you want to stop nuisance calls on mobile outright. You can add numbers to a dedicated blocked list, reject unknown numbers or only allow calls from your contacts to come through.

You can also download third-party apps, like TrueCaller, that can provide more extensive protection against nuisance calls on mobiles.

Block calls on iPhone

Go to Recent Contacts to find the number, click the ‘i’ in the top right-hand corner of the screen and scroll down to click on ‘Block this Caller’. And you’re done.
You can also silence calls from unknown numbers by going to Settings, then clicking ‘Silence Unknown Callers’. Easy-peasy.

Block calls on Android

Click the phone icon then the clock icon to show recent calls and find the number you want to block. Click and hold your finger down on the number to bring up a small menu. Then select ‘Block/Report Spam’. All sorted.
Another way to block calls on Android is to go directly to your contacts, click the three dots in the top right-hand corner of the screen and select ‘Block Numbers’. It only takes a few seconds and can save lots of repeat frustration!

Be wary of scam calls and don’t feel pressured into doing anything you’re not comfortable with, particularly if the person can’t prove who they say they are. We hope this article has shown you how to stop and block nuisance calls from both your landline and mobile phone effectively. Find out more information about the services we offer here at BT or view the full range of BT Telephones.

How do I block unwanted calls on my landline?

The national Do Not Call list protects landline and wireless phone numbers. You can register your numbers on the national Do Not Call list at no cost by calling 1-888-382-1222 (voice) or 1-866-290-4236 (TTY). You must call from the phone number you wish to register.

Can I block a phone number on my landline?

If your home phone is a traditional landline that doesn't use the internet (VoIP), you can buy and install a call-blocking device. Call-blocking devices are typically small boxes you attach to your phone. Some devices use databases of known scam numbers but let you add numbers you want blocked.

Does * 61 block unwanted calls?

Block calls from your phone Receive an unwanted call? Press *61 to add the last call received to your call block list. Press *80 to turn call blocking off. Press *60 to turn call blocking back on.