TrueCall November 2008
Call screening and blocking device
This device is designed to reduce the number of nuisance and telemarketing calls that you receive. It plugs into you regular home phone, and is able to create lists of welcome and unwelcome callers.
TrueCall is a device that plugs into your landline telephone and intercepts nuisance calls and calls from telemarketing agencies.
The device remembers two lists of numbers: one list of approved callers, such as friends and families, and one of nuisance or telemarketing callers, which can be added as calls are received.
If the TrueCall device doesn’t recognise the number from either list, it will ask the caller to give their name before letting the homeowner know that there is an incoming call. The device will then tell the homeowner the caller’s name, and the homeowner can decide whether to take the call, have the caller leave a full message, or have TrueCall notify the caller that the homeowner does not wish to speak with them.
Stop nuisance calls
The gadget can also cut off a call with a ‘polite’ recorded message at any time. This service has been designed for use with particularly pushy salespeople, who can be difficult to say 'no' to. The number is then added to the call-barring list.
The lists can hold up to 500 contact details, and they can be edited if names are mistakenly added to the wrong lists.
We think that there is a risk of important numbers from companies, such as banks, being added to the unwanted number list – when the company calls with a pressing issue using the same number, the call may be ignored.
The product works best with users who have the caller ID service on their phone. This service is free from BT, but may require payment from other companies. Without the service, the TrueCall device won’t be able to add numbers to either the welcome or unwelcome caller lists. It will still be able to end unwanted calls with a polite message, and it will request information from all callers before the call is put through to the user.
Telephone Preference Service (TPS)
The TrueCall product is easy to set up and comes with the necessary power and phone cables. It costs around £100 and is available from Amazon or TrueCall.
Registering your phone number with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) is another useful way of reducing the number of telemarketing calls that you receive.
Which? has more than 200 cordless phones on test, and more than 170 mobile phones.
Pros: Can make it easier to say ‘no’ to pushy telemarketing calls
Cons: It could result in important calls being inadvertently filtered out