How to Use Call Blocking Services

Telemarketers icons

Tired of getting the same call from the same annoying recording every day? When we sign up for new services our information gets sold sometimes. It's unfortunate, but it happens. We've got telemarketers, credit card offers, and other unnecessary phone calls interrupting our days and sometimes we just want them to stop. Many phone providers offer a call blocking feature to stop these annoyances. Check out some of the big players below.

AT&T call blocking

AT&T allows you to block up to 20 numbers and you must do so online. You cannot block partial numbers—they must be 10 digits long. Call Block and Call Screening cannot be used at the same time. When you block someone the caller will hear, "The number you dialed will not accept your call," and the call will end.

How to block callers through AT&T

  1. Log in to myAT&T, if you don't have an account register for one.
  2. At the top of the page select Home Phone, then Manager Features.
  3. From Call Filtering select the arrow by Call Blocking.
  4. For Call Blocking select On or Off.
  5. Add up to 20 numbers to the Add Number area. (Don't forget area codes.)
  6. Select the Add button to the right after you've entered your number.
  7. Click Save.

After you've created your list of up to 20 phone numbers, you'll need to turn Call Blocking on or off on your phone.

  • Turn On: Press *60#
  • Turn Off: Press *80#

How to remove blocked numbers through AT&T

  1. Log in to myAT&T.
  2. Click Home Phone, then Manage Features.
  3. From Call Filtering select the arrow by Call Blocking.
  4. Next to the number you want removed select the red X.
  5. Click Save.

CenturyLink anonymous call rejection and call rejection

You can block incoming callers through CenturyLink to avoid unwanted calls with Anonymous Call Rejection or Call Rejection. You can read more details on these two features below.

Anonymous call rejection

This feature blocks calls from anonymous and private phone numbers. If someone calls anonymously or privately they hear the following, "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."

Many areas offer this feature with Caller ID and some areas you must order it separately. This feature is automatically turned off so you'll need to turn it on if you want to utilize the feature. Only anonymous and private calls are blocked. Out of area, unavailable, unknown, and not provided calls are still sent through.

Turn on

  1. Dial *77 on your receiver.
  2. Listen for the confirmation tone.
  3. Hang up the receiver.

Turn off

  1. Dial *87 on your receiver.
  2. Listen for the confirmation tone.
  3. Hang up the receiver.

Call rejection

Call Rejection allows you to block specific phone numbers. Just add the phone numbers to your "rejections list," then the caller hears a message that says you are not accepting calls. Call Rejection lets you block more than 10 numbers and if you need to block up to 25 numbers you can get Enhanced Call Rejection in some areas. Call Rejection must be ordered and when you first install it it's turned off. For a maximum of 25 numbers to block, we feel there are better options available.

Turn on

  1. Wait for dial tone and press *60.
  2. Follow the instructions to create a rejection list.

Turn off

  1. Wait for dial tone and press *80.
  2. Follow the instructions.

How to reject a call you don't know the number to

Want to reject a call but you don't know the caller's phone number? You can reject the call when the person calls.

  1. Hang up the phone, pick up the receiver and dial *60.
  2. Follow the instructions.

Comcast calling security

Comcast has Call Screening and Anonymous Call Rejection. Call Screening allows you to choose 12 phone numbers to block. To learn more about these services read below.

Call screening

Call Screening allows you to block 12 phone numbers. These callers will hear a message saying that you are not receiving calls at this time. You can activate this by dialing *60 from your Comcast phone or doing the following.

  1. On voice screen click Preferences (top menu, far right).
  2. Go to Call Manager/Call Screening (on left).
  3. Select Selective Call Rejection and enter the phone number

Anonymous call rejection

Anonymous Call Rejection blocks incoming calls from people who have blocked their caller ID and show up as anonymous or private on your caller ID. These callers receive a message that says you are not accepting calls from parties who have blocked their caller ID. Dial *77 from your Comcast phone to activate this feature.


Time Warner Cable call blocker

Time Warner Cable (TWC) has a few options for call blocking, so you only get calls from those you care about. The tricky part is that some of their features sound identical to others (e.g. Call Blocker Basic and Call Blocker Plus as well as Call Blocker Accept and Call Blocker Select).

Call blocker basic

With Call Blocker Basic you can block callers who won't share their call ID information with you. If the caller shows up as private or unknown you won't receive their calls if you have this turned on.

Turn on/off

  1. Log into your VoiceZone account.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Click Edit next to Peace & Quiet.
  4. Select Call Blocker Basic/Plus.
  5. Turn Call Blocker Basic On or Off.
  6. Click Save.

Call blocker plus

TWC explains Call Blocker Plus as you are able to block unwanted calls from people who don't send their caller ID info. This sounds the same as Call Blocker Basic to us.

Call blocker accept

Call Blocker Accept allows you to block up to 30 phone numbers. Blocked callers hear the following message: "The party you are calling is not accepting calls at this time." TWC is working on increasing the number of calls a user can block from 30 to 100. The instructions for using Call Blocker Accept are the same as Call Blocker Select below, so to be honest we aren't quite sure what the difference is between these two features.

Call blocker select

Call Blocker Select lets you specify what people can call you on that number by blocking up to 30 numbers. Currently you can only block numbers within the U.S.

Turn on/off

  1. Log into your VoiceZone account.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Click Edit next to Peace & Quiet.
  4. Select Call Blocker Select.
  5. Turn Call Blocker Select On or Off.
  6. Click Save.

Add phone numbers to your list

In order to add phone numbers to your list, follow these instructions:

  1. Log into VoiceZone.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Click Edit next to Peace & Quiet.
  4. Select Call Blocker Select.
  5. Enter 10-digit phone numbers under Add Phone Numbers to your Call Blocker Select.

Nomorobo

If you want to avoid calls from automated systems like political parties and telemarketers you can do so with Nomorobo.

Turn on/off

  1. Log into your VoiceZone account.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Click Edit next to Peace & Quiet.
  4. Select Nomorobo.
  5. Turn Nomorobo On or Off.
  6. Click Save.

Verizon call block

Verizon's Call Block service is limited to a maximum of 6 or 12 phone numbers, depending on where you live. When a blocked caller reaches your phone number they will hear a message saying you are not currently taking calls. Phone numbers from outside your local calling area, through operator assistance, or from cell phones cannot be blocked.

Set up call block

  1. Listen for the dial tone on your receiver.
  2. Dial *60 or 1160 on rotary or pulse-dialing phones.
  3. Follow the recorded instructions.

To turn off Call Block dial *80 or 1180.


How to block phone numbers on your cell phone

Are you getting those annoying calls on your smartphones? No worries, you can block people on your cell phones too.

Block someone on your iPhone

  1. Go to Phone
  2. Click Recents
  3. Click the "i" icon next to the phone number you want blocked
  4. Scroll down and select Block this Caller
  5. Then confirm

Block someone on your Android phone

There are a few ways you can block a caller on your Android. See a breakdown here.


We love hearing our phones ring

We live in a world where our phones are attached to us 24/7. Our ears are tuned in to listen closely for those notification sounds, letting us know someone is trying to reach us. It makes us feel important, it makes us feel good, but nothing is more annoying than taking the time to answer our phones and realizing it wasn't important. Knowing the steps to take in order to block a phone number is important for our own sanity.

Do you have problems with unsolicited calls or a nosy relative wondering why you're not married yet? Call blocking may be your solution.