Yes, done, very easy. Heard this in the Today programme a couple of weeks back.
I am plagued by cold callers on my BT landline despite being on TPS, ex directory etc. I was told it would cost me an extra 45 quid a year on top of my normal bill to block number withheld callers.
The last thing I want is these things getting through to my ruddy mobile too.
Brilliant! I'm going to try this.
Usually I politely say: 'No thanks', and hang up. If they're obnoxious or keep ringing back, I say: "Okay, hold on; I'll just go and get him". Then leave the handset on the floor.
That works for real people and depending on what mood I'm in, I have a variety of tricks including handing the phone to my 2 yr old when they ask for Mr E. He loves it!
The ones I have trouble with are the pre-recorded ones or the silent ones.
I ranted at BT for 20 mins the other day and all I got was an oh so kind offer to stop it for 45 quid a year. *spluttering with futile rage*
Depending on how many cold calls you get, in might be worth paying £45 for the aggravation avoided. I'm with Virgin Media the cable company and I'm sure they don't charge anything like that to block withheld numbers. I think as a result, I am little troubled by cold calls.
Also, watch out for the "boiler-room" stockbrokers calling from overseas who push penny stocks ("pump and dump") – they're amazingly high-pressure. They really think you'll be flattered that someone is calling you from New York, Prague or wherever ...
Hugh, thanks for passing on the original alert. The 118800 website has been down for more than 24 hours now; maybe it sagged under the volume of demand for people to go ex-directory. Which puts a question mark beside the whole point of this service in the first place.
The main subject of their service announcement is to do with ex-directory requests.
If the original intention was that any ex-directory requests had to be made by the beginning of next week (Monday?) then in all fairness, the date of the last opportunity to go ex-directory ought to be extended.
Being cold-called on your mobile while out-and-about, must rank among life's least productive experiences.
. MOBILE directory blames press for latest failure
(at least they're not blaming Hugh!)
The operator of a new directory of private mobile phone numbers has blamed the press for its rushed launch and subsequent technical problems, which have seen the service shut down indefinitely ...
There was something about this on the news this lunchtime. No promise when the website will be up but a promise that those who registered to NOT be listed before it all went LaLa would have that request honoured