I'm getting fed up with the amount of unsolicited call's I'm recieving since switching to NTL.

Does NTL offer a service equivalent to BT's privacy service, that does not accept withheld numbers. I've been through the web site without finding anything, but a definite yes or no would help.

Thanks in advance.

Don't be fooled by BT. BT Privacy is the Telephone preference service (TPS) rebranded as BT. It's just a way of getting new customers saying that 'We care about customers and we treat customers well'. Well they don't and they just pass your details onto the TPS.

To stop sales and marketing phone calls, you need to register with the TPS by dialling 0800-398-893 or online at www.tps-online.org.uk

You can register:

Residential Numbers
Mobile Numbers and 070 (As residential)
Small LTD business numbers

The TPS cannot stop calls from overseas.

Registration takes up to 28 days.

Yes they do, I phoned customer services ages ago and they gave me a number that barrs public phone boxes, withhelds and call centres etc.

No it isn't. BT Privacy is the name of the service which offers free caller display, and registration with the TPS.

Could you tell me what number that is which barrs public payphones as I keep getting phone calls from a dodgy payphone.

What happened was, someone phoned me from a payphone and it was faulty, the remote access fault system which Spectrum Interactive uses in this particular payphone was not working properly and it stored my number. So when someone uses the payphone, the fault system reports back to my number and plays loud beeps for a about a minute like a FAX machine. Spectrum Interactive appologised and refunded me £20 per day for the incovenience.

I also recieve calls a sometimes miss them and when I dial 1471 and return the call the number just rings and rings.

So! NTL,Telewest and Wight Cable are already planning to launch free Caller display too. In fact Cable and Wireless already provide a free Number display to its business customers as standard.

Not everyone actually needs it anyway since not everyone has a Number display unit.

I understand about the TPS and caller display but the BT service told the caller that "This number does accept calls from withheld numbers." Without the need to buy a caller display unit/phone




Clu I'll give them a call tomorrow but how'd you mean gave you a number ?

The service which stops anonymous calls coming through is called Anonymous Caller Rejection and is £4 per month on BT,£1.50 per month on Telewest,£1 per month on Wight Cable and £1.75 per month on NTL

There is a number you can dial on NTL which activates a system that blocks witheld numbers from getting through (they hear a message saying "the person you are calling does not accept calls from witheld numbers"). I can't remember it off the top of my head but I'll look it up and post it later. I'm not sure if it block s payphones though.

You are both refering to Anonymous caller rejection.

Mercury/CWC: £1 per month
Wight Cable: £1 per month
Telewest: £1.50 per month
NTL: £1.75 per month
BT: £4 per month

Telewest settings:

On: 1478
Off: 1479

NTL settings:
On: 1478
Off: 1479

Mercury Cable and wireless:
On: 1478
Off: 1479

BT:
On: *227#
Off: #227#
Check: *#227#

Codes may vary in Eurobell areas and I think Eurobell codes are similar to BT's.

Mercury Cable and Wireless has purchased Energis and codes may vary on ex-Energis lines. The above codes do not apply to Bulldog and indirect customers as they are using BT lines and have to use BT's service.

NTL franchises may vary.

The service is cheap on all networks except BT. BT stick out like a sore thumb on this one!

This is one of the reasons why I like VoIP. ACR comes standard on my ATA, and therefore means ACR is free! (And it works).

Thanks for that really useful information.

When my GF rings me from work ~ her phone is on a company network ~ if I dial 1471, it comes up as "number unavailable". Do you know if this would be blocked as well. Or is it just "number withheld" calls.

Cheers

edit: just tried it and it comes up, "sorry, the service requested is not available from this line"

ACR will only block "Withheld" numbers, not any others.

Unless you have phoned your telecom provider or applied for online*, then the service won't be enabled on your line.

Dialling the ON / Off codes doesn't order the service or remove it from your line, it will just enable/disable it once you do have on your line, enabling/disabling doesn't stop you being charged for it, if you wanted the service removed you would again need to call your telecom provider or cancel online*.

* I know with BT you can add and remove these services online, not sure of other providers.

If you could add a charged for service by just dialling these well published codes, then any visitor could add all the services and possibly for up to 3 months you wouldn't know and get a higher bill.

Thanks for that ~ obvious when you think about it