Block calls

Yes. You can block the number of the last call you received. I haven't found a way to develop a list of numbers to be blocked, but through this process you can block unwanted calls. 1. After you answer the call and determine you don't want to hear this caller again, hang up. 2. Pick up the phone again, get a dial tone and press *(star) 60. That will turn on the blocking feature. 3. Then press #(pound)01#. That blocks the last number that dialed in to your home. Voice feature will tell you that you have blocked the number (it gives you the number) then reviews all the numbers you have blocked. This works.

Cox encourages telemarketing calls so we'll pay for their anemic call-blocking service.  Their Selective Call Rejection is a joke and it only blocks a few numbers.  Any more than that, you'll be removing and adding numbers daily.

Purchase a call blocking device.  You can search on Amazon and sort by customer ratings.  I'm using the free version of PhoneTray installed on a laptop equipped with a dial-up modem..  It works great.  I've blocked over 1000 to date.

Telephones featuring a call-blocking feature are okay, but they would seem tedious to maintain.  After you max the number of blocked callers (20, 50, 100, 250, etc), you'd have to scroll through the entire list to determine which to remove before adding a new number.  Can you imagine doing that every day?

If you have an unused laptop equipped with a modem, I can explain how to find and install PhoneTray Free v1.39.

Hey AzPalmTree,

There is no option to block numbers from the Phone Tools Feature but BKett27027 has the correct steps to adding numbers. As long as you have the Premier phone package you should have this feature. 

Bruce said:

Cox encourages telemarketing calls so we'll pay for their anemic call-blocking service.  Their Selective Call Rejection is a joke and it only blocks a few numbers.  Any more than that, you'll be removing and adding numbers daily.

Purchase a call blocking device.  You can search on Amazon and sort by customer ratings.  I'm using the free version of PhoneTray installed on a laptop equipped with a dial-up modem..  It works great.  I've blocked over 1000 to date.

Telephones featuring a call-blocking feature are okay, but they would seem tedious to maintain.  After you max the number of blocked callers (20, 50, 100, 250, etc), you'd have to scroll through the entire list to determine which to remove before adding a new number.  Can you imagine doing that every day?

If you have an unused laptop equipped with a modem, I can explain how to find and install PhoneTray Free v1.39.

Bruce: I like the way PhoneTray does the job.  My question is, does it allow Caller ID info to pass through to the phone?  Many of the standalone Call Blockers don't when inserted in series between the line and phone as opposed to being run in parallel. Thanks.

I can't test your caller ID pass-along question because my laptop only has one RJ-11 connector.  With only one connector, I can't connect a phone to my laptop while the laptop is connected to a wall jack.  It's an internal dial-up modem.  However, if I want a series connection, I could always use a USB modem.  Most of the USB modems I've researched have two RJ-11 plugs to accommodate a series connection.  But your question still remains.

You connect PhoneTray (laptop) to an unused wall jack in your home.  All phones will still receive caller ID information as will PhoneTray.  PhoneTray can display the caller ID information on the screen and also announce the name and number using Microsoft Sam (text-to-speech program).  I have it set to just announce the name of the caller.

You don't need to have PhoneTray physically near your telephone.  It only blocks calls and protects your answering machine.  It can do that from any convenient wall jack in your home...or any wall jack where it would be easy to manage (allow, block, edit) a call blocking program (kitchen, den, etc).

However, if you want PhoneTray near your phone, you could always use the caller ID provided by PhoneTray...and not need your phone's display.

If you don't have an internal dial-up modem or want a series connection, you can purchase a USB modem.  It's a USB 2.0 plug connected to a RJ-11 plug.  Again, all the ones I've researched have two RJ-11 connectors.  The Sewell SW-29644 is $17.95 on Amazon.

The only problem with PhoneTray...as with most call blockers...is all phones will still ring once.  Meaning, all devices on your phone system will receive the call but after the first ring, PhoneTray disconnects (zaps) the call.  However, there are workarounds to that.  For example, I have my base unit (answering machine) set to Do Not Disturb.  Only PhoneTray alerts me of a call.

Another workaround is to use PhoneTray as a "gateway" on your phone system.  Meaning, our digital calls arrive in our homes via the coaxial TV cable (CATV) and routed to our digital telephone modem.  The digital telephone modem is connected to a wall jack to route the call to our telephones, answering machine, call blocker, etc.  If I connect PhoneTray between the digital telephone modem and the wall jack, it could zap calls before ringing the phones.  Again, I haven't tested this because I only have one RJ-11 connector on my laptop.  However, you can configure it as a gateway with a USB modem.

Bruce:

That's precisely why I asked because I prefer that the call blocking device be inserted in series between my EMTA and my house wiring so that the phones never ring unless PhoneTray lets the call pass through.  I'm going to guess that it doesn't because the Caller ID info is only sent at the end of the first ring.   Therefore, unless the modem is configured to block the first ring, but then allow the Caller ID info to be passed through and then wait for the query results before then allowing subsequent rings to pass through based on those query results.  It would be most ideal if it would work that way.  It's been a long time since I've had to look at modem string codes.