Slashdot Mirror
Verizon Will Give Subscribers Free Access To Anti-Robocall Tools (engadget.com)
Verizon says it will give all its subscribers free access to its spam alert and call blocking tools, so long as their phones can support the features. From a report: The carrier originally rolled out those tools over a year ago as part of its $3-per-month Call Filter add-on. But starting in March, subscribers with compatible smartphones (including iPhone and Android devices) will be able fend off unwanted robocalls without having to pay extra. Verizon says it will release more info on how to sign up for the free tools near their launch date.
>"One could simply whitelist their calls; unrecognized numbers go to voicemail."
And you get a notification for voicemail, then have to stop and go into that app and wait for it to load it, then play it back, only to find the message is a robocall, then delete it. And yes, about 1/4 of such annoying calls leave messages on both my home and cell phone.
I would much prefer to have:
1) No more number spoofing- or at least a huge improvement.
2) The ability to completely silently throw a captcha at any incoming number not in my contacts or whitelisted. Something like "dial 32 to continue" or "press 1 to hang up, 2 to ring through, or 3 to hold" or a list of names with which button to press, only one being correct. Having more than a few would be helpful.
3) The ability for it to then HANG UP on any failed captcha calls with NO ability for them to leave annoying voicemail. Logging is good, though.
4) Bonus for doing something similar for texting (seems to be much less of a problem, however).
This should be possible, all locally, with a local app, if Android allows the correct permissions (like to prevent ringing AND to hang up on a call). No servers. No monthly fees. No data dependency. I seem to remember this being a problem on unrooted Android, though.
Of course, that wouldn't do much for land line- but there are already similar devices available for that:
http://www.tel-lynx.com/