I just wanted 5 minutes to myself

[farewellfigure]

I've just sat down for the first time all day with a cuppa and my e-cig for five minutes of mumsnet peace and quiet before the school run. 3 phone calls in 5 minutes, one after the other.

1 Our car was involved in an accident. 'NO IT WASN'T'.
2 Something about energy bills. 'I promise you I'm not going to try and sell you anything.' LIAR!
3 I didn't let the third one start talking after the initial 'you're being connected through a computer' silence. There'd better not be a fourth.

Next time just take the phone off the hook.

Our landline gathers dust these days. I've managed to block 99% of the sales calls through TPS and we have a thing that doesn't allow with-held numbers to call us.

I use the TPS thing but it doesn't seem to work! I can't get rid of the landline sadly as I get loads of calls about volunteer stuff from numbers I don't know, so I'm always tempted to answer the call. Very irritating.

I found TPS stopped most of them, but it took a while to kick in. I also use ACR.

I don't answer numbers that I don't know. Xx

Set up an answerphone to answer all calls. The volunteer calls you're expecting will leave a message. Call back when you're ready. Sales callers won't.

Incidentally we haven't had a landline for 5+ years, never been a problem.

I want to block withheld numbers from my landline and mobile, but the GP surgery and school always phone from withheld so I don't feel like I can. Is there a solution to this?

NoodleOodle, there is if you know (roughly) when they are going to call. Although BT will tell you it isn't possible it is possible to switch ACR on and off using short codes. Unfortunately, there is no way that I know of to create a 'white list' with ACR :(

People that don't answer withheld numbers really hack me off. Our hospital comes up as a withheld number. Sometimes people are trying to call you with important things! Trying to get hold of a patient with an unsuspected scan result who may be seriously unwell and their phone says 'this number does not accept calls from withheld numbers' aaarghhhh!

WiIdfire I don't allow withheld numbers because my ex uses them and because I have been stalked. Perhaps the answer is to get the hospital to present a switchboard number via CLI. It is technically feasible, they are just choosing not to.

Sometimes people block withheld numbers for very good reasons.

No, its fair enough if you have good reason. I can go to the switchboard to use their one line that does give a number its just a real PITA as it takes ages! Im more irritated by people who just block without reason.

But I very much doubt that anyone blocks withheld numbers without reason. We're all entitled not to want number withheld sales calls.