How do I cancel anonymous call reject for my 84 year old friend - WHEN IT IS NOT A CALLING FEATURE

[Fellwalker]

Can anyone help please?

I am asking on behalf of a friend who is 84, and whose doctor cannot reach her by phone.  She is shielding, having been in hospital.  She has BT Call Protect, which we thought might be the problem.  BUT it is set (and always has been) to allow calls from withheld numbers.  She does NOT have Anonymous call reject, and never has had.  She used to get calls from her doctors in the past.

I have just tried ringing her using 141 in front of the number, and got the message "Welcome to BT 1572. The user has chosen to reject anonymous calls".

So, how on earth are withheld numbers being rejected, and how can I help her to remove it? She is not the most technical.

UPDATE: She's tried typing #227#, but it tells her the service is not available.

She gave me access to her account online some years back, so I could help, and I have searched and no where is anything set that could reject anonymous calls.

[shadboja · Accepted solution]

Hi, 

Looks like the BT Call Protect setting isn't working. Try changing settings to block anonymous calls, wait 5 minutes then call with 141. Then change settings to allow anonymous calls, wait 5 minutes and test again. 

[Fellwalker]

Thank you. I tried that ages ago (switching it off and on again), but obviously not tried ringing in between times.

Well, that is insane.  I changed the settings to the state where - on the face of it - withheld number calls should be rejected. They aren't. I rang her using 141 to withhold my number, and it got through.

I'm not changing it back to the setting that should allow such calls through, in case that breaks it again.

[shadboja]

Thanks - glad you found a setting that worked, may be worth re-checking in 24 hours in case some changes are reverted by some overnight automated routines.