How to ask your phone company what robocall protection it offers on your line

Which of these describes you right now: you have your latest bill open, or you do not? The rest of this page is a decision flow. Start at the top, follow the branch that fits what you hear, and stop when you reach an action. The reason to ask at all is simple. The most effective protection lives in your phone company's network, what you can have depends on your exact plan and equipment, and no guide can read your bill. The FCC requires providers to use STIR/SHAKEN call signing, and many offer labeling or blocking on top of it, but what exists for home phones, as opposed to mobiles, varies. Your questions fill that gap.

Start here: how will you ask?

• If you can open the provider's online account: look for a page called call blocking, features or home phone settings.
  • If you find one, write down every feature by name and price, then phone only about the gaps.
  • If you find nothing, search the help section for "call blocking," "anonymous call rejection" or "spam." Some providers keep a separate page for home phone customers under a menu you would not expect.
• If you would rather talk to a person: call customer service from a phone you do not mind keeping on hold, with a pen ready. Ten minutes usually settles it.

Ask in this order

One question at a time. After each, follow the branch.

1. "What call-blocking features come with my home phone plan?" Ask for each by name.
   • If they list features: write each one down and go to question 2.
   • If they say none, or "not on your line": ask whether it is available if you change plan or equipment.
2. "Do you label or block suspected spam or robocalls on my line, and is it on now?"
   • If "we label spam calls": ask whether the call still rings and whether the label shows on a landline display. A label adds a warning and the call still rings; blocking stops or diverts it.
   • If "we block known robocalls": ask how "known" is decided and whether you can see what was blocked.
   • If "it is on by default": ask how to check that and how to turn it off.
3. "Is anonymous call rejection available, and does it cost extra?"
   • If it is free: switch it on now and test it. The full piece on what it does covers the test.
   • If there is a monthly fee: ask the price and whether a cheaper bundle exists. A modest fee can be worth it if hidden-number calls are your trouble. Compare it with a one-time plug-in blocker that has no monthly cost.
4. "Can I keep a personal block list, and how many numbers does it hold?"
   • If yes: ask how to add a number, and whether the list is edited by star code or in the account.
   • If the list is small: a handset or plug-in list can carry the rest.
5. "How do I turn each feature on and off, by phone code or in my account?" Ask the representative to read back any price and say whether it appears on the next bill.
6. "Does the caller ID on my line include names or only numbers?"
   • If numbers only: ask whether name display can be added. A new device will not add names that the line does not send.

When the answer is vague or the person does not know

• If the answer sounds fuzzy: ask where it is written on the provider's website. A person on the phone can be wrong, and a help page is easier to point to later.
  • Feature names vary: one company's "call screening" is another's "selective call rejection," and a "spam filter" may only add a label. Ask what happens to the call: does the phone ring, go to voicemail or get rejected before it reaches you? The behavior matters more than the name.
• If the representative does not know: be polite and ask to be passed to someone who handles landline or home phone features. Note the name or ID of whoever you spoke to and the date.
  • If you reach a dead end: write through the online account or by mail for a written reply. It is slower, but easy to keep and it makes any later complaint simpler.
  • If the provider will not say what protection exists: that is itself useful information about the service.

If the call comes to you first

• If someone rings, says they are from your phone company and offers protection against robocalls: be careful.
  • If they ask for payment or account details: hang up.
  • If you did not start the call: ring the number printed on your bill and ask there. Report suspicious calls of this type at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

After you have the answers

• Turn the features on while the representative is still on the line, or the same day, and test each one.
• Write the date and the features on a card near the phone, with the provider's customer service number, and keep it updated.
• Review after a month:
  • If the ringing has slowed and few calls arrive: the plan is working.
  • If calls continue: add a device or a handset feature. The cordless block button guide and the blocking glossary show the choices.
  • If the options are poor with this provider: ask about a different plan, or compare another provider's home phone service. Ask what changes for your number if you move, which the move guide covers in detail.
• If the calls are threatening: tell the police. Complaints about unwanted calls also go to the FCC at fcc.gov/consumers, and your report adds to the picture they build of what carriers should be doing.

Sources

• FCC, consumer help center
• Federal Trade Commission, consumer advice
• ReportFraud.ftc.gov