How to Block Phone Number and Avoid Unwanted Calls
There are different ways to handle unwanted calls and block a phone number. All methods won’t work for all, so you must carefully choose an option that will work for you.
“Do not call” Registry
This option is best suited if you are trying to block a telemarketer. If you are in US, you can register with the National Do not call registry or call 1-888-382-1222 from the number you wish to block to keep the telemarketers at bay. It is illegal for telemarketers to call you after you have been added to this list. If you are in India, there is a similar National Do not call registry where you can register your phone number.
Carrier Help
Taking the help of your carrier is the most appropriate option to block any phone number.
AT&T : If you are a customer of AT&T wireless, you can make use of a premium service called “Parental Controls” which will allow you to limit who can call you or text you by blocking or allowing certain numbers. It costs just $4.99 per month. Verizon : Go to VerizonWireless and log into your account. And then go to “My Services” and choose the SPAm control. Here you can add up to 5 phone numbers that you do not want to contact you or even text you. Sprint & T-Mobile : Currently, Sprint and T-Mobile doesn’t provide an easy way to block unwanted callers, though there is a work-around for Sprint users. You can block all numbers which are not in your phone contacts. For this, go to Settings –> Security –> Others [password will be last 4 digits of your phone number] –> Call settings. Here you will find that option.
Handset Specific Options
Off late, the handset manufacturers have started providing features to help you block phone numbers. Look out for in-built or downloadable option to limit incoming calls.
Nokia : The Nokia symbian phone users can download apps like Blacklist which can block specific phone numbers from making a call. Samsung : If you have a Samsung phone, you have the ability to send an incoming call directly to voicemail, without it even ringing on your device. Look for the “block list” feature on your device Sony-Ericsson : SE mobile phones have built-in blocking functions, simply go to Settings > Calls > Manage Calls > Accept Calls > Only from list, press ‘Edit’ to choose the numbers. T-mobile G1 : Similar to Samsung phones, G1 also uses a feature available in the contact list to block specific numbers. Blackberry : If you have a Blackberry, you can use a program called Efficient Call Blocker from BerryWAV. This program will block numbers that you specify and let you make the other party hear messages like your number is disconnected or no longer in service. Another such app is CallsBlocker. iPhone : Not a straight-forward option available for iPhones if you are not using iOS 7. Check the Update below if you are on iOS 7. In case you have a jailbroken iPhone, there are couple of neat apps which will help you – MCleaner & iBlacklist.
Update: If you are on iOS 7, you can block anyone with a click on your iPhone. This will block the person from calling, texting, and FaceTiming you. To do that, go into your contacts, select someone, and scroll down to hit “Block.” Update 2: Here is a complete guide on how to block a phone number on iPhone.
Activate Silent mode for specific contacts
There are times when a pesky friend or a relative continuously calls you, and you’re not comfortable telling them to cut it out. An easy way to handle such situations is to activate silent mode only for such contacts. The trick is to have a silent ringtone assigned to such contacts. So, each time they call you, you don’t really get to hear it, and they should eventually get tired of calling you. Download this blank mp3 ringtone (or this one). If you are using Android or Symbian smartphones, transfer the file onto your SD card and set this as the ringtone for that pesky contact. Additionally, you can create a new profile and assign the silent ringtone as the default one for everyone in that profile. iOS users can use this guide to upload ringtone to iPhone.
YouMail
If your phone is compatible with free services like YouMail, you can block unwanted voicemail messages. The callers you block get the designated greeting you choose and are never given the option of leaving a voicemail message! They have dedicated apps for Blackberry, Android and iPhone which are all available for free.
TrapCall
TrapCall is a premium service with numerous features like blocking unwanted callers, number unmasking, recording calls etc. TrapCall currently supports AT&T, T-mobile, Verizon and Sprint.
Call Customer Care!
Calling customer care for help in blocking a specific phone number is one of the most suggested solutions. Alas! It doesn’t work most of the time. But some carriers do let you block a phone number but only after verifying the facts and asking few security questions.
Change your number
I know this is a ridiculous solution, but in case none of the above tricks work, this is the only available option.
