November 2019 - Page 2 of 2 -

To Block Robocalls: Do you remember the days when your phone rang, and you ran to answer? When was the last time that happened! Robocalls have put an end to that! Read on as we offer some simple, inexpensive, and FREE solutions to keep your heart from racing when your phone rings. Have robocalls left you scratching your heads trying to discover ways to block them for good? Those disruptive calls leave us wondering if technology is worth the annoyance. Not to mention those MMS text messages. The massive harassment brought about from unsolicited commercialized messages…" I'm just trying to reclaim my time!” I know we must take the good technology, smartphones with the bad; robocalls, etc. Do You Remember Running to Answer the Phone! These simple solutions will assist you, as much as possible, to block those never-welcoming and unwanted robocalls. As we all know nothing is permanent or 100%. Factor in both sides of the issue is working hard to stand their ground. The government is working diligently to help protect us while advertisers and hackers are working overtime to keep us tangled in their webs. What can we do to stop, curtail, or reduce the number of robocalls? This we will discuss in detail. What are Robocalls? Robocalls are automated phone calls with pre-recorded messages. These calls have increased in recent years. Modern technology has made robocalling cheap and easy. The caller can make calls from anywhere in the world hiding their identities by displaying fake caller ID information. Enable "Do not Disturb" By enabling the "Do Not Disturb” feature on our phone this feature will only allow people in your contact list calls to go through. There are a few setting options such as one that’s used for emergencies. This setting is set up so that if someone calls twice within 15 minutes it will ring through. Another benefit to that same setting is that those callers that are not in your contact list can leave a voicemail; and, you're also able to view their phone numbers. So, if you are hoping to find a way to get some peace and quiet, the answer to block robocalling may be closer than you think. Yep! That thing in your hand…. Your phone~ Verizon Offers Robocall Blocking Does Verizon Wireless offer robocall blocking? Yes! Robocalling is so annoying that many mobile users are not overlooking the obvious. The Good News: the consumers aren’t the only ones sick and tired of robocalls. Our service providers and makers are frustrated as well. "Far too frequently, customers tell me they want relief from the bombardment of bothersome robocalls," said Ronan Dunne, President of Verizon's consumer unit. "I'm confident that our new, free version of Call Filter and STIR/SHAKEN will put a big dent in the problem." Verizon is seriously trying to address their customers’ robocalls Woo's. They are taking charge; their goal is to be the go-to service provider who’s known for successfully combating robocalls. Verizon offers a free and premium plan of call filter that's developed to stop Robocalling. Can Verizon Stop Robocalls? Verizon customers will receive new and improved tools to help identify and block robocalls. One of the latest services is named call filter. There are two versions, free and paid. The free version of the Call Filter service offers spam alerts and a few other tools. Verizon has also completed the deployment of STIR/SHAKEN caller ID technology as part of its network interconnections. Both tools will offer significant help for consumers who are consistently harassed by unwanted and annoying robocalls. The company's free Call Filter product offers wireless customers new protection from robocalls. With it, customers can get alerts when a call is a likely spam, report unsolicited numbers, and automatically block robocalls based on their preferred level of risk. All postpaid wireless customers with a compatible device can enroll, though certain features will vary based on the type of phone that a customer has. In addition to the new, free service, the company is adding enhancements to its network in the continued fight against spam. Customers looking for an enhanced call protection experience can subscribe to Verizon's Call Filter's full feature set for $2.99 a month per line. This enhanced product includes all the great features included in the free version (spam detection, blocking, and reporting), plus the ability to identify unknown callers by name. There's also more control over calls with the ability to create a personal robocall block list. and access to additional insights with the robocall risk meter and a spam number lookup feature. You can learn more about the app, both the free and premium options, eligibility, and how to sign up… click here. The national Do Not Call list protects landline and wireless phone numbers. You can register your numbers on the national Do Not Call list at no cost by calling 1-888-382-1222 (voice) or 1-866-290-4236 (TTY). You must call from the phone number you wish to register: Compatible Devices With Call Filter Everyone is excited about the ability to block those annoying robocalls. And although Verizon did the unthinkable to create a free service, not every user will be able to use the service. You can check the Caller Filter website for a complete list of all eligible devices. According to Verizon, spam alerts and Caller ID are available on eligible devices without the Call Filter. If you have an eligible device, you can subscribe to the Call Filter app on your device open the app tap account status then tap subscribe Call Filter App (Android) Download or open the Call Filter app. Tap Account. Tap Subscription status. Tap Subscribe now. You have successfully subscribed to Call Filter Plus Call Filter app (iPhone®) Open the Call Filter app. Tap Get Call Filter. Tap Subscribe. You have successfully subscribed to Call Filter Plus. Online in My Verizon Go to the Products and Apps page in My Verizon. Select Call Filter Plus in the dropdown under Choose your Call Filter product. Click Get it Now next to Call Filter Plus. Choose whether to apply Call Filter to all eligible lines or choose Selected lines. You can get Call Filter Plus (Multi-line) for accounts with 3 or more eligible lines for $7.99/mo per account. Click Purchase. Click OK when the confirmation screen appears. My Verizon App Tap the menu in the top left. Open the My Verizon app. Tap Account. Tap Add-Ons. Tap Essentials. Find Call Filter and tap Learn More. Choose a line to manage and tap Enroll. Choose Call Filter Plus, then tap Next. To sign up for Call Filter Plus (Single line), tap the $2.99/mo. per line Call Filter Plus option. How to Unsubscribe to Call filter Open the My Verizon app. Tap the menu in the top left. Tap Account. Tap Add-Ons. Find Call Filter and tap Manage. Tap Manage next to the line you want to change. Choose the Remove Call Filter option, then tap Next. If you have multiple lines on an account with Call Filter, you'll have the option to remove or keep Call Filter from them. Tap Continue. Review your changes and tap I accept the Terms & Conditions, then tap Confirm. Android Android or BlackBerry Unsubscribe from the Call Filter App Go to the Call Filter app on your device. Tap Account. Tap Subscription Status. Tap Unsubscribe. Tap Continue to confirm your selection. You've successfully unsubscribed from Call Filter through the app. iPhone Unsubscribe from the Call Filter App Go to Settings. Under Account Status Tap Unsubscribe. Follow the steps to unsubscribe in My Verizon. You have successfully unsubscribed from Call Filter through the app. Conclusion: Blocking those annoying robocalls sound like music to my ears. Thanks to Verizon and the other carriers that are following suit. I don’t know about you, but I receive robocalls all day long. As I’m sitting here writing this post, I’ve received four robocalls. Don’t you love when they start with, “this is an important message; please don’t… “hang up”. I’m really hoping these filters work. But on the contrary, those sketchy businesses who use robocalling aren’t going down without a fight. As the adage states: when one door closes another one opens. Anyway, I’m giving it a try; I’ll know shortly. Like many of you, I haven’t subscribed or downloaded the app. It’s something I plan to do ASAP. I’m very optimistic normally. But, on the contrary, I feel this isn’t the end of call disruption. "Fingers Crossed"! If you know of a working solution let us know. Leave your comments below now.