Nuisance Call Blocking - CLI Required

I've been visiting for a few days, and the household is on the BT low-user rate and does not have CLI to even see what number is incoming on the display. In the three days I was there the phone rang at least a dozen times with unwanted calls (and that was while we were at home), two of which were people offering "to fix the computer".

Without CLI they had to answer in case it was a wanted call, and without CLI I can't set them up with a trueCall to eliminate this nuisance. It is disgusting that call centres and fraudsters have free reign to prey on vulnerable people this way, and even more disgusting that vulnerable people are expected to pay extra for (what is now) the basic facility of CLI.

 

I'm fairly sure that if you sign up to the free BT Privacy service they give you Caller ID for free as long as you make the odd call..

 

Yes, it's called BT Privacy at Home, and claims to register you with the (TPS) Telephone Preference Service and provide CLI for free as long as you make two phone calls a month (exclusions apply). The problem is that as a low user they may not make two calls a month, and then get stung with a £2.70 per month charge (which I understand drops to £2 next year). In my opinion that counts as "paying extra".

If the TPS worked we wouldn't need a trueCall (although it does have other functions too)!

 

Doesn't the trueCall make calls itself occasionally to upload data for the control panel?

 

Indeed it does! Not by default, but it can be configured to do it weekly or more often if you want a higher refresh rate. Excellent point (only cheap calls too, free if you have an "Evenings and Weekends" package).

However, I feel obliged to point out the control panel requires a subscription after the first year (trueCall needs a revenue from somewhere), although I don't know whether the trueCall unit continues to phone home after the subscription runs out (it might).

 

I would assume it would until you configured it to stop.