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A Whitelist for Phone Calls?

Posted by Cliff on from the i'd-settle-for-a-blacklist-on-my-cell-phone dept.

javacowboy asks: "I've been getting lots of strange phone calls lately. Most of the time, my phone would ring less than three times and then stop before I can answer. Then, a couple of nights ago, I got a call at 3am in the morning. It had stopped ringing by the time I woke up. *69 revealed a number with an area code of 632, which does not exist. I called the number, and the call would not complete past the area code. I want a product or service with which I can set up a -whitelist- of numbers that I allow to make my phone ring. Any number not on the list, or an unlisted phone number, tries to call me, and the phone doesn't ring at all. I would pay as much for this service as I would pay to have my number removed from the phone directory. Is something like this possible? If so, how would I do it?" I'm getting fed up with: wrong numbers; callers hang up on me as soon as I speak into the phone; telemarketers; crank calls; late night calls; people I know that I no longer wish to speak to; etc. My telco charges $8 a month for call display, which is exorbitant. Still, a call display won't prevent my phone from ringing. A do not call list will not prevent my phone from ringing. Getting my phone number removed from the phone directory will not prevent wrong numbers. How can filter out the calls that I don't want to deal with?"

14 of 151 comments (clear)

  1. An end- user solution by vonsneerderhooten · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I remember seeing a while ago a device that you can program with a passcode. If you know the passcode, it lets the call through, if not, it emits a fast-busy signal. Damned if i can find a link to it, though.

  2. Looks like Manila to me by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Looks like your mysterious 632 area code is really Manila, probably an outsourced call center in the Philipines.

    Your topic is a Dupe, but a simple google search turned up these guys.

    --
    SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
  3. Asterisk / Broadvoice? by karnal · · Score: 4, Informative

    I have two solutions:

    1. If you're a geek, try to wrap your head around Asterisk - I'd have to think either it would have that functionality built in, and if not - wouldn't be too hard to tell it to pass whitelisted #s, but dump everything else to voicemail....

    2. I use Broadvoice at home, and when I don't want to be disturbed, I *77 the phone. *78 unblocks it (takes it out of Do Not Disturb) - of course, this doesn't help when it's late at night and I don't do the *77 ahead of time, but I can make sure I don't get awoken again.

    Both of these implementations almost require an internet connection. While you can purchase FXO modules for Asterisk, I've just not had the interest in making a go at it with a PSTN connection....

    Another alternative - only one phone in our whole house rings. I sleep rather well, so I probably wouldn't hear it if it rang at night...

    --
    Karnal
    1. Re:Asterisk / Broadvoice? by darnok · · Score: 4, Informative

      > 1. If you're a geek, try to wrap your head around Asterisk - I'd have to think either it would have that
      > functionality built in, and if not - wouldn't be too hard to tell it to pass whitelisted #s, but dump everything
      > else to voicemail....

      Absolutely - I'm putting in an Asterisk box progressively over the last few nights to do all this and more. The rules aren't absolutely fixed in my head yet, but will be something like:
      - voicemail for everyone in the house; if someone calls, they can choose who they leave a message for
      - no calls after 10pm, unless it's from a whitelisted number (i.e. parents, friends)
      - no calls between 7pm-8:30pm, unless it's from a whitelisted number
      - *all* calls from numbers without caller ID go direct to voicemail (i.e. phone doesn't even ring), regardless of when the call comes in

      Asterisk basically gives you full-on routing capability for your incoming and outgoing calls. You can define rules based on caller ID, time of day, ... - pretty much any "property" of either incoming or outgoing calls.

    2. Re:Asterisk / Broadvoice? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      I did this with asterisk earlier this year. When a call comes in, the number is checked against a mysql database to see if the number is whitelisted or blacklisted. Whitelisted calls go straight through, and blacklisted calls hear a message that their number is blacklisted and then asterisk hangs up. Greylisted calls go to a message that says telemarketer calls are not allowed, then proceeds to give the user the option of ringing through or leaving a message. Calls between 10pm and 9am get an 'after hours' message which will go to voicemail unless the user enters the 'emergency' code which will then ring through. Works like a charm, and we've not been bothered by unwanted calls since.

  4. Missed calls by Propaganda13 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Whitelists will prevent
    1. your stranded grandma from calling you
    2. friends calling from their friends house
    3. that cute girl you just met
    4. various official phone calls that you really needed to receive

    Luckily, whitelists will still allow your mom to call from upstairs when dinner is ready.

    1. Re:Missed calls by thegrassyknowl · · Score: 5, Funny

      > Whitelists will prevent
      > 1. your stranded grandma from calling you

      Why she can't call your mum is beyond me! Why is granny your problem?

      > 2. friends calling from their friends house

      Geeks don't have friends, remember. They have online acquaintances who use IM or
      VoIP these days. Worst-case they might email you.

      > 3. that cute girl you just met

      Calls from girls? You're mistaking us for people who actually know how to talk
      to girls!

      > 4. various official phone calls that you really needed to receive

      When was the last time you were required to receive a phone call? If it's that
      important they kick in your door and confiscate your computer equipment using
      rent-a-cops looking for any music at all.

      > Luckily, whitelists will still allow your mom to call from upstairs when dinner is ready.

      Damn, the one person I dont' want to call. Mum just doesn't make enough geek food
      like pizza and she confiscated all my twisties. How am I supposed to write code with
      broccoli and mash as the fuel?

      --
      I drink to make other people interesting!
    2. Re:Missed calls by honkycat · · Score: 3, Funny

      Calls from girls? You're mistaking us for people who actually know how to talk to girls! No, parent was right. In the unlikely event that one of these things they call "girls" *does* call, it is absolutely vital that the call get through. The odds of it happening twice in a lifetime are so astronomical as to be the stuff of fiction.
  5. Grand Central by EMeta · · Score: 4, Informative

    The NYT had a very interesting article about Grandcentral.com, which I believe would whitelist and much more, if you sign up for them, which at the time, I believe was free. Here's the article.

  6. I'm one off from the local... by iknownuttin · · Score: 5, Funny
    Marriot Hotel. Lots of wrong numbers which isn't a problem. The one time it was a problem was when some teachers group had some sort of convention there.
    Their people printed our number on their fliers. Most of the folks were nice when we told them they had the wrong number, but a few got really pissed and insisted that they had the right number. I really wanted to say after they "insisted" rudely for a few times, "OK, you got me! This really is the Marriot and because I, Joe Schmoo, gave you a hard time, you can have the presidential suite and a bottle of Dom every night - free of charge. Here's your confirmation #." And then I would then let them go.

    My wife vetoed that. Sign....

    --
    I prefer Flambe as apposed flamebait.
  7. The feature already exists.... by Yuan-Lung · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I want a product or service with which I can set up a -whitelist- of numbers that I allow to make my phone ring. Any number not on the list, or an unlisted phone number, tries to call me, and the phone doesn't ring at all.


    Many modern phones already have this feature, in the form of custom ring. Just set the numbers in your contact list that you would like to whitelist to have a ring, and set the default ring to silent.

  8. telezapper by phatvw · · Score: 5, Informative

    I think you're talking about the Telezapper A quick google search turned up a nice privacy page with useful, although fairly obvious recommendations: http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs3-hrs2.htm

    1. Re:telezapper by stephanruby · · Score: 3, Informative

      Someone mod the parent down before too many slashdotters waste their money, the telezapper used to work -- but now it doesn't anymore. A few years back the automatic dialers relied on the standard telephone tones to know that a telephone had been disconnected, or busy, or whatever. The telezapper exploited that functionality by faking those tones whenever someone called. And the telezapper got so popular, that the makers of the automatic dialers stopped relying on those tones alone to know that a phone was disconnected, so now the telezapper is completely useless. Not only that, but the telezapper was also rarely used once purchased since *everyone* not just the telemarketers -- got to hear the annoying tone at the beginning of the call. Now, the people selling telezappers are just rip off artists, they know their products don't work -- so don't expect a refund.

      No, the real solution is to get caller id from your phone company (assuming you live in a State or a Country that allows it) and buy one of those devices that white lists the phone numbers you want to receive, and otherwise allows your callers to punch in a special code in case they're not white listed yet. That special code, you could give it out only to your friends, or you could simply leave it on your outgoing message -- since even leaving it as an outgoing message will probably screen out a good portion of automated telemarketers. And notice, I said buy a device, don't rent, do not lease it from your phone company, those things are dead cheap, and the phone company is just going to make a nice profit on the monthly fee.

      And someone said it already, but I just want to repeat it in case some of you missed it. If you have a cell phone, check your manual to see what kind of built-in functionality it already has. Even the basic cell phones these days have some pretty decent scheduling functionality, ring tones or vibrations for different numbers (or categories of numbers), and automated forwarding of certain phone calls directly into voice mail.

  9. Super Simple by TubeSteak · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'm not sure how this made it to the front page.

    The easiest solution:
    Go down to your local big box store & check out the various cordless phones. You'll find the ones with fancier base stations will allow you to deal with incoming calls however you like.

    After the person has called. You just setup that # not to ring, to go directly to voicemail or if the phone supports it, it'll just hang up.

    You don't even have to give up your corded phones & buy extra handsets.

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!