I just want to block all calls, period.
Try Flight Mode with Wifi On
I want to use 4G though and get texts.
Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
171–180 of 332 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
#172I just put my iphone on "do not disturb" full-time and use my favourites list to only allow calls though (from a selected list). People who double call are also allowed through. Then you are not constantly distracted by notifications, emails, texts, spam calls [1]. My thinking is, my phone should serve me, not the other way around, so I only check when I'm not focused on something else. Personally, I find useless not…
This approach comes pretty close to solving the problem, but a couple issues are dealbreakers for me:
1) It mutes all notifications, not just non-whitelisted calls. As much as I hate notification overload, I do want a select few to come through.
2) I want a discoverable way for non-whitelisted callers to be able to break through (not everyone will know to call multiple times to break through).
I'm working on an app that addresses those -- email me if you're interested (see my profile).
Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
#173Earlier quoted context omitted.
Probably because they were too cheap to pay the licensing fees.
For silence...?
Take your pick, ask for a license, see how far you get:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_silent_musical_composi...
Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
#174A few years ago my parents were getting a lot of spam calls on their landline. Basically all of them were automated calls, either a recorded message or you were connected to a person shortly after the call was connected. I bought an OBi100 [0], which is a small device designed to be a VOIP adapter, but you can setup rules on how calls (incoming or outgoing) are handled. I setup a rule that if the call was from a with…
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Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
#175A few years ago my parents were getting a lot of spam calls on their landline. Basically all of them were automated calls, either a recorded message or you were connected to a person shortly after the call was connected. I bought an OBi100 [0], which is a small device designed to be a VOIP adapter, but you can setup rules on how calls (incoming or outgoing) are handled. I setup a rule that if the call was from a with…
Cool idea, but you're talking about a landline though aren't you?
The implication from the OP is that it's a question about mobiles. It's not 100% clear, but in my experience people rarely bother to have contact lists on landlines, which themselves are increasingly less popular.
Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
#176Seems to be a US problem. I als never get unsolicited calls in my country.
In France these calls are pretty common and come in waves.
Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
#177It is not exactly the solution you look for but on iOS you can use call blocking apps which work in a similar fashion to the safari blocking extensions. They provide a list of blacklisted numbers to the phone app and they can either tag them (say, as a telemarketer) or block them outright. I currently use Callblock and it works fine.
One advantage of this system is that the blocking provider does not need (and can't have) access to your phone call history at all. The disadvantage is that it is a blacklist only, you can't invert the rules.
As a side note, although I would _love_ to just ignore all calls from numbers I do not know, at least in France most companies such as banks, taxman and so on will call you from a withheld number and they don't always leave a message.
Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
#178A few years ago my parents were getting a lot of spam calls on their landline. Basically all of them were automated calls, either a recorded message or you were connected to a person shortly after the call was connected. I bought an OBi100 [0], which is a small device designed to be a VOIP adapter, but you can setup rules on how calls (incoming or outgoing) are handled. I setup a rule that if the call was from a with…
Cool idea, but you're talking about a landline though aren't you? The implication from the OP is that it's a question about mobiles. It's not 100% clear, but in my experience people rarely bother to have contact lists on landlines, which themselves are increasingly less popular.
Sure, but the point is that with this greylisting approach you don't need them.
Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
#179A few years ago my parents were getting a lot of spam calls on their landline. Basically all of them were automated calls, either a recorded message or you were connected to a person shortly after the call was connected. I bought an OBi100 [0], which is a small device designed to be a VOIP adapter, but you can setup rules on how calls (incoming or outgoing) are handled. I setup a rule that if the call was from a with…
This is the kind of solution that only works because basically nobody is doing it. If a big provider deployed it, it would take five seconds for it to be defeated.
Re: Ask HN: Why can’t I block all incoming calls that aren’t in my contact list?
#180I'm in the Netherlands and I hardly ever get any spam calls on my T-Mobile phone. Is there some reason like Dutch regulations, or are spam calls pandemic in the US because of American deregulation, or am I just unpopular with the spammers?
UK also has them, Germany doesn't. I don't think it's the language barrier (UK calls are targeted for UK customers), so there's likely a difference in regulation or treatment by providers.