Can I Change my Landline Number?

[HydeTDS]

Hi

I manage my aunts BT account and she's getting between 3 and 8 calls a day from spammers and such like.  We have Call Protect and have reached the limit of 100 numbers and yet these calls still come through.  My aunt is vulnerable and we want this to stop.  Since Call Protect isn't doing the job we thought it would, how do I request a change in landline number please?  None of the phone options on your help lines cover such a request!

I'd like a new landline number issued to her, inclusion in TPS, number not published anywhere.  She has limited number of genuine callers and we will manage the communication of the new number to those that need to know it.

Cheers.

[Keith_Beddoe]

@HydeTDS 

Welcome to this user forum for BT Retail phone and broadband customers.

Changing the landline number will not help, as all numbers suffer from the same issue.

You will never block calls by simply blocking a number, as scammers do not use the same number again.

What she needs to use is a call blocking phone like the BT4600. This only allows selected number to get straight through, all others have to announce themselves first, scammers never do that as they use automatic call software.

https://www.bt.com/help/user-guides/phones/landline-phones/cordless-phones-with-answer-machine/bt460...

[HydeTDS]

Yeah I get that, but my aunts landline is published throughout the scamming under world, having been hacked some years ago.  So these aren't random robo dials, they're targeted.   So if the number was changed and not published, we'd reduce 99% of the current call rate.

My aunt has dementia so there's no way we'll be able to teach her to use a different handset.

[Keith_Beddoe]

As this is just a customer to customer forum, its difficult for me to give other advice.

Does she have broadband as well, or just a phone?

Normal exchange based numbers are no longer being issued, as the old analogue phone network is in the process of being closed down, so I am not sure if new numbers can be provisioned.

I believe there is an advanced form of Call Protect which allows you to specify only VIP numbers, I know others have posted about this.

I am not sure, so I will ask a moderator for advice, they should post here.

[HydeTDS]

She does have broadband, but doesn't use it.  It's mainly for the carers and me when I visit.  It's old style PSTN broadband (very rural location) not yet serviced by fibre.

So next question....

I'm I posting this in the right place?  Do BT see these posts?  As none of their help me pages or call handling routines cover this type of request.  In addition BT's web chat service doesn't work either!!  For a communications company, they are really difficult to talk to!!

[Keith_Beddoe]

@HydeTDS 

See this post https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/protecting-against-phone-scammers.133729/

[Keith_Beddoe]

I have flagged your post to a BT moderator, as they are the only employees here.

Having broadband complicates the issue, as any change to her service would result in her being moved onto BT Digital Voice, which uses a different home hub, with a phone socket on the back.

I still feel that the advanced Call Protect, with just VIP number being allowed, is the simplest option, as described in that thread I linked to.

[HydeTDS]

Unfortunately, Call Protect does not have a setting to block all calls save those on the VIP list. 

[Keith_Beddoe]

The basic version does not, but I am sure there is an advanced version, as another forum member posted about it, but I cannot remember who it was. There was a small additional charge for it.

See https://community.bt.com/t5/Bills-Packages/Digital-Voice-switch-currently-paid-for-features/m-p/2311...

Not sure if it also applies to non DV services.

[HydeTDS]

I'm currently experimenting with adding all the people that should call my aunt, as VIP's with the option to bypass the Do Not Disturb times.  Then I'm going to switch on DNDT to all day.  Maybe that will work???