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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.
How about "decreased network usage"?
Verizon is like every gym out there. They want to sign you up, and tell you how great their equipment is in order to do it, but they'd really prefer you not actually use it so that they can sell it to even more users.
Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
>"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/
The main issue is that I have already been interrupted. I don't want to be interrupted in the first place nor later with bogus voicemail. I want technology to screen the calls for me to ensure that it is an actual legit call before getting my attention with a ring OR allowing voicemail.
This is why dumping to voicemail fails.
This is why "DND" fails.
This is why ignoring calls fails.
This is why existing anti-spam call apps fail (because they ring through once and/or still allow voicemail).
We have the technology now, we just need to use it. I hardly ever give my mobile number out to anyone, certainly not any business of any type. Yet I give my work land-line number out freely and never get ANY automated calls and rarely get human spam calls. Why? Because my work number is answered by an auto-attendant and they must enter my extension number to get to me. So all the robocalls get trapped at the front door. Doing something similar in a local app should be exceedingly easy now.