Council tax valuations

[Joe]

I wonder when we might expect BT to offer blocking of withheld-number calls? That ought to fix the lot. The TPS must mean they can't rely on junk calls for much future revenue.

[Alan]

All that will happen is that a number will be presented by the junk callers. No-one will be at the other end of the number.

Surely the TPS is an official government body with legal powers able to control the junk telephone industry? Or is it the same people who make the calls in the first place? :)

[Dave Liquorice]

Unfortunately there are quite a number of legitimate and possibly very important calls that such a system would block. Like from your doctor, local hospital, police and so on. Yes such things as presentation numbers do exist but you have to jump through hoops with BT to get that set up.

[Alan]

Rubbish.

Urban myth started by the scum that make junk calls.

[Owain]

They already do - ACR (anonymous calls refused). There is also CTR (choose to refuse) where you can set up a blacklist of callers you do not want to be able to call you. Both are chargeable, although you can usually get a month free if you complain about nuisance/malicious calls.

Unfortunately ACR only blocks calls where the caller has Withheld their number. CTR will block calls from that number even if the CLI is withheld. Neither will block calls where the caller's number is International or Unavailable, and telemarketing scum are likely to use back-bedroom phone carriers who present Unavailable, or even allow the presentation of an incorrect or invalid CLI.

Owain

[Andrew Gabriel]

I thought they already did, anonymous call rejection, but I haven't used the service (not free). It doesn't work for number unavailable, which is the case with many junk calls.

It's part of the Direct Marketing Association, so yes, it's the same people who make the calls. They set it up, as otherwise the government were going to force it on them.

Most of the junk calls come from abroad now. Very often, I do actually get a foreign calling number. The DMA/TPS have no control outside the UK. Expect junk calls to get _very_ much worse in the near future.

[Tony Williams]

Not rubbish. We used to have BT's ACR. I know from bitter experience that the following use number witheld.

The beds lady in Hereford County hospital. At least three depts in Hereford County Council. Our local GP.

The first one is why we had to urgently get ACR removed.

[Richard Packer]

I've used that approach on unsolicited mail, and it does seem to have worked. The junk that *really* drives me up the wall is the stuff that the Royal Mail delivers. You know the sort - addressed to "The Occupier" and in an unstamped envelope marked something like "Hand delivered by the Royal Mail". How *do* you stop that rubbish?

R

[Tony Williams]

Not that long after we signed up for BT's ACR we started to get spam calls getting through, via the 'We do not have the caller's number'.

Guess who from? Bloody BT themselves.

That's abuse of privileged information in my book.

[Huge]

It is. You have to get off BT's list, too. Even though we're Ex-Directory and on the TPS list, BT still called. Woke me up after a long flight, too, they got a right piece of my mind. Once I'd calmed down, they explained that BT keep their own Do Not Call list, and you have to ask to be on it.

I've never received another call from them.

[Alan]

In message , Huge wrote

Surely if BT are telephone marketing they have to take note of the TPS?

[Huge]

One would have thought so... I suspect they (think they) are exempt on account of having an existing business relationship.

[Owain]

Not if there is an existing customer relationship. But any organisation must not call you if you tell them not to.

Owain

[Mary Fisher]

I don't suppose it extends to individuals ... ?

Mary

[Owain]

If an individual persists in calling you after having been asked to desist, that could be harassment which (in England and Wales) is a criminal offence.

You should have taken the mobile off the children before locking them in the cellar ...

Owain

[Mary Fisher]

I'd kill for a cellar ...

But mobilesd hadn't been invented when our children were children and the grandchildren daren't even switch them on when staying here - not that I pay for their mobs.

A cellar would still be useful. I should have let Spouse dig out the underdrawings when he wanted to all those years ago ...