Reasons to block a number
Getting unwanted calls repeatedly can become frustrating. Thankfully, if you’re a Telstra customer, you can block specific numbers from ringing your landline phone. And if you’d like to block your number from being displayed on Caller ID when you call someone, you can do that too with Telstra. We’ll tell you all about these two features in this post.
But first, why would you want to block numbers from calling you, and why would you want to block your number from showing up on someone’s Caller ID? Well, there are a number of reasons for these, and only you know what your personal reasons are.
But a common reason is to avoid spam calls and marketers. With the bulk of data being collected in this digital age, you can be sure your phone number has been sold to marketers trying to sell you one product or another. Such calls are typically unsolicited, and they are often annoying. Being able to block such numbers solves the issue, and we’ll walk you through the process.
Other reasons for blocking a number from calling you could have to do with unwanted calls from an ex, or just a former friend you don’t want to communicate with anymore. And in many cases, some may even block numbers from overzealous bill collectors.
As stated, you might also want to block your number from being displayed on someone’s caller ID. Perhaps you would like to keep your number private, or you want to avoid a call back if the the recipient is unavailable. Whatever your reasons are, having this option could come in handy, and we’ll tell you all about it.
Managing Caller ID – How to block your Telstra landline number when you place a call
Whenever you place a call to someone, your phone number (Caller ID) will be displayed on their device. This is a common feature on Telstra mobile plans, but it’s also available on Telstra landline phone services.
If you don’t want your landline phone number to be displayed when you place a call to someone, Telstra provides an easy solution for managing your Caller ID:
- Block your Telstra landline number temporarily
Just dial 1831 on your landline Telstra phone, followed by the phone number you want to call. This will block your number on the receiving party’s device, so your call can be anonymous. - Block your Telstra landline number permanently
To permanently block your landline Caller ID, give Telstra a call at 13 22 00 to explore your options.
Unwelcome calls – How to block a number from calling your landline phone with Telstra
Unwanted calls can also be blocked from calling your Telstra landline. However, this mostly depends on the handset you have – some have call block features, while others don’t.
If your landline handset doesn’t have call block features, then you can purchase one that does from Telstra. A good example is Telstra’s Call Guardian, which allows you screen calls (in addition to blocking specific numbers) by requiring the caller to announce who they are before placing the call. That way, you don’t have to pick up the phone, or most likely an unwanted caller would avoid calling at all when she/he realizes the screening requirements.
If you get a lot of unsolicited calls from telemarketers, consider registering your Telstra landline number on the Do Not Call Register. It is free and run by the government to prevent unsolicited calls.
If all else fails, you can complain to Telstra by filling out their online form or giving them a call.
Final words
The first thing you’ll need to do when you want to block a phone number is to establish what type of ‘block’ you mean. Phones are equipped with a number of options to assist you in this regard.
First, if your wish is to block your own phone number appearing on the screen of the person you’re calling, you can use what the phone companies call a USSD code. By dialing 1831 on your Telstra landline phone before you enter the phone number and hit dial, your number will be blocked on the screen of the person you’re dialing. It will show as ‘Blocked’ (or something similar, like Private or Unknown).
The other type of ‘block’ is when you don’t want to receive a call from a number. You might need to use this if you’ve got someone who has taken an unhealthy interest in you, if you don’t want to receive a call from telemarketers, or you’ve ended a relationship with someone. Android and iPhone devices each have their own unique way to block calls of that sort, but the steps are quite different with landline phones. Personally, I prefer not to block calls – I like to see who’s calling and then I’ll only pick up if I want to talk to them.
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