...to wonder why Orange won't just block a nuisance caller number?

[Miffster]

Apols in advance for this not being a very interesting thread with a long OP.

I have been getting nuisance calls since Friday. Early mornings, late nights. It's particularly annoying as I am 30 weeks pregnant & weepy because not sleeping well. The person calling is clearly an idiot, or mentally ill as he has made no attempt to hide his number.

I used to have an old Samsung with a number blocking option but my new phone doesn't have this feature, so yesterday I asked Orange customer services for help. They said the network operator can't block the number, nor will any new handset have number blocking technology 'because of Freedom of Speech laws'. They suggest I go to the police, or say they can change my number - but I've had the same number for 12 years and all my work/business/social contacts have it and I can't change it without major aggro and loss of business.

I realise that it is patently bollocks about the ' freedom of speech laws' and today I try ringing Orange again: a different person tells me that the network can't block calls and all I can do is change number, call cops. This time, the data protection act is vaguely invoked.

I call Ofcom because I am getting suspicious of all this vague law-invoking and find out that actually, all UK networks can block calls if they want to. But some choose not to 'for commercial reasons' (ie. can't be bothered with the hassle, I assume). Ofcom confirms it is indeed bollocks about 'freedom of speech laws'.

I can't see why I can't just block this malicious caller's number from calling me, the same way I can block spam emails. Nobody has an absolute right to call me at 7am and 11.45am and harass me. I can't see why Orange won't do it, and AIBU to think they damn well should do, if asked to do so?

I can report it to the police but FFS, what a waste of my time and theirs. I am particularly fed up that Orange customer services are spinning yarns about laws to customers. Other networks will apparently block nuisance call numbers. I guess I should now investigate moving networks but am locked in a 24 month contract with Orange and it will be messy to do so.

Thanks for your patience in reading this far. AIBU and what should I do?

[Galena]

Can't you just turn your mobile off overnight?

[ratspeaker]

Go to the police?
If you feel upset and intimidated by persistant calls you are not wasting their time

Put the phone on silent
Don't answer the calls
Don't talk to the person

[Miffster]

Not really, widowed depressed insomniac elderly dad, and brother recovering from a transplant and still in danger of having to be taken to hospital for emergency infection care. the phone needs to be on 24/7

[choufleur]

My phone has a block caller thing and it's only about 6 months old and that's with Orange. I'd call them back and ask to speak to a manager.

[Miffster]

^^ sorry, missed ratspeakers post - above info re. dad is why can't have phone on silent/switched off and was to Galena.

Am going to give the caller a different ring tone so I know not to answer it but can't not have phone switched on and next to my bed in the circs.

Maybe I should go to police but calls are not threatening violence, just mad. I live in Hackney, mad random calls are not going be top of the list for allocating police resource

[mummychicken]

Can you put the number into a "group" on its own and set the profile to silent?

Orange are Shite!

[Miffster]

Really choufleur? Is it a Samsung? Apparently 'old Samsungs can do it but not newer phones'. According to Orange.

I just don't believe them now because I now know the networks can block calls from talking to Ofcom. I can't see why Orange won't, and why they are coming out with bollocks to hide the fact that they won't. Or not training their staff properly. Or whatever it is that they are up to.

I'll try calling a third time then and ask for a manager.

[ratspeaker]

I can'tsee why a mad random caller shouldn't be taken seriously by the police, especially if it's distressing a vulnerable woman
Plus if you have the numberthe calls come from surely thay can be traced fairly quickly, get spoken to by the police and the police have a nice quick clear up rate on that one
just a thought

Don't Orange have a malicious calls bureau?

[xstitch]

My phone has a number blocking option

Basically Orange are trying to say their customers are legally obliged to take abuse. I think you need to change networks tbh. Maybe go for one of those deals where you can transfer your number.

[nannynick]

You may be able to assign a ringtone to the number... if you don't have a slience ringtone already, try using this 1second.mp3

[agedknees]

Just put the number who phoned you on to this mumsnet site. We will all phone him for you every minute of the day and night. This might stop him doing the nuisence calls.

YANBU. Orange are idiots.

[choufleur]

Yes it's a samsung - probably nearer 8 months that I got though. i just have an option in my call history to block a number.

[DurhamDurham]

I think the sicko would love us all to be calling him every minute, he'd get to fulfill his fantasies and it wouldn't be costing him a penny!!

[moomaa]

I don't know if this will help but my Mum is being dealt with by the police for being a nusiance caller.

She is under medical care, we are awaiting a diagnosis, very probably of dementia (she is only 57). She couldn't work her phone anymore and got confused about whose number she was calling and ended up calling some random poor person numerous times a day. As soon as my Dad found out he took her phone away. The person being called contacted the police and I have to say they weren't that proactive about sorting it out, the only reason it was dealt with is because my Dad has nothing to hide and has tried to help as much as he can. I just wanted to tell you in case you are worried that it is someone who wishes you harm.

BTW YANBU and Orange should bar the number. Can your phone forward the number onto somewhere else? (not sure where - the police?!)

[cupcakesandbunting]

Ooooh, love agedknees idea!

Do it. Go on. Do it.

[Casserole]

Can you get the number diverted? In my phone you can divert certain numbers if you add them to a list (you set up the list from within the call diverting menu).

Alternatively, go to Argos or somewhere and buy an Orange PAYG phone and put your Orange contract SIM into it, if you're not massively attached to the handset - they tend to sell older handsets so if it IS true that newer ones won't have it you should be ok. Then you can block him for a few weeks, then go back to your old handset when he's given up?

[HotchpotchHoney]

ring them and tell them you have spoken to ofcom and if they don;t block the number you will file an official complaint to ofcom.
i know they block numbers as my 13yr old ds was receiving abusive phonecalls from another boy that he didn;t know (he had got his number from ds ex gf!!!) and orange blocked the number and reported it to the police. the schools got involved and the police schools liason officer.

[Casserole]

what model samsung do you have? Someone might know a workaround...

[Miffster]

I used to have an elderly Samsung 600, now I have an iphone, does anyone know a workaround for that?

I just called back Orange again and said I would have to change providers to one who would accommodate blocking a nuisance caller as I couldn't really manage being locked into a contract which basically meant I had to take abusive calls 24/7. And I need my number, as a freelancer it is vital that people can contact me and that they can pass my number on when recommending me.

I will update with tomorrow's developments after I call Ofcom again and get list of which networks will protect customers from malicious calls...

thanks for your help tonight!

[Miffster]

BTW moomaa, sorry to hear about your mum and dad's troubles.

[LittleMissHissyFit]

Do you still have your old phone, could you not put your sim in the old phone and block the number that way?

[Solodad]

Miffster,

There is an App for iphone that might help called iBlacklist See here www.ehow.com/how_4925230_block-phone-numbers-apple-iphone.html

[Phew96]

A suggestion I read for the iPhone is to make a new ringtone that is just silence (I think you can download some) and then assign this ringtone to the nuisance contact. It doesn't actually block their calls but you won't be disturbed by them calling. Just google "how to block a phone number from an iPhone" and you should get some links to the ringtone.

It is rubbish of Orange not to just block the number for you though, would save a lot of hassle.

[zipzap]

some of the newspapers have technology or consumer experts that might be able to help - if you wrote to them with basically what was in your original post, they might be willing to help.

And you might find that a question coming from a national newspaper who are going to run it in their column is more successful at getting them to remember that they can block numbers if needs be...

Alternatively, ringing them back and saying that you have spoken to trading standards (maybe?) and ofcom and that if they try the dodgy lines that they have done, you will be able to state that it is an excuse as ofcom have confirmed that this is incorrect.

Bet if you managed to get hold of the Orange MD's number and rang him repeatedly to ask how you could get the number blocked from calling you, he'd find a way to block you from his phone...

Are you able to get back to the shop you got the phone from - or a generic orange shop - and go in all of a dither and just say that you are going mad and so exhausted by this all that you just can't find the option to block calls on your phone, could they show you because you had it on your old phone and this is a better phone so they are hardly going to have taken off a really useful feature and and and blither on and on and show how stressed you are and how important it is to you and how wonderful they would be to help you - you might just find that someone will take pity on you by appealing to their better nature...

[ivykaty44]

I have a phone whereby I can assign a particular ringtone to a particualr perosn - can you assign a particalr ring tone - prefrably a silent vibrate to this annoying harrasemtn caller?

If you can tell us what phone model it is - we can look and tell you how you can do this on your particular model and then for all other calls you will be fine and hopefull this horrid ones will not be heard