Does this exist? If it does not, it should. The device should have a “white list” of approved phone numbers, meaning numbers from which I am willing to receive calls. There would be three ways to add numbers to the white list.
1. As a call comes in from a number I know, I push a button and it gets onto the whitelist.
2. When I call a number, that number is added to the whitelist.
3. I can enter numbers directly into the whitelist.
I can put the device into one of three modes:
1. Ring regardless of who calls.
2. Ring only if the call comes from the whitelist
3. Ring with one sound if it comes from the whitelist, with another sound otherwise.
I really am fed up with phone spam.
I’ve had such a device for 20 years, though it’s not as sophisticated as you’d like (and it’s no longer made). But one of these might do the trick: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_n_0?rh=n%3A1064954%2Cn%3A172612%2Ck%3Acall+screener&keywords=call+screener&ie=UTF8&qid=1395168419&rnid=1084128
Google Voice will do this, at least it will if you consider a website to be a device.
(Disclaimer: I work for Google, but not on Google Voice.)
I think you want Google Voice.
I Came Here To Say This
Me too – I’ve been using Google Voice for this purpose for about 4 years.
Nomorobo, http://www.nomorobo.com/, comes pretty close if your phone provider supports conditional call forwarding. Unfortunately, most providers don’t seem to support it.
Most smartphones let you set custom ringtones for your contacts so you can achieve this by setting your default ringtone to nothing / a silent file (depending on what your phone supports) and assigning non-silent ringtones to contacts you want to receive calls from.
Some landline handsets might let you assign custom ringtones as well but who has a landline these days?
Consider two lists. A white list that works as you have mentioned, and a black list. If a caller is on the black list, the device always pretends to take a message, but doesn’t.
Whitelist?
Sounds neo-confederate.
On Android devices, the Silent Time app could be used for that purpose. Silent Time is intended to silence the phone at night: it stops the facebook alerts, IM alerts, email alerts – and incoming phone calls (they roll to voicemail). But, because you would still want emergency calls to come in from your family, say, or from work if your job requires it, Silent Time has a “white list” of callers who can get through at any time.
However, it will silence all alerts from the phone (other than whitelisted incoming calls): the only option you will have for alerts is to allow vibration. Since I silence all alerts other than phone calls anyway, it’s not an issue for me.
Have something close to that. A caller in my phonebook is announced by name. I only answer those generally and screen all others. I let all callers not in my phonebook leave a message unless I block them. Maybe 1 in 30 will which I don’t mind. I may even pick up if interested. My phone only allows 30 numbers to be blocked though, so I have to delete some old ones to add new ones. Repeated failure to leave a message leaves a number subject to blocking. Blocked numbers ring once before screening though that is optional. Software options often offer more extensive phonebooks.
What device do you use? I am looking for something that can be attached to a land line.
I have a Panasonic KX-TG7431 no longer for sale but many better cordless phones offer call blocking using caller id. Or you could use a voip service that offers it in software through their website like Ooma.
Cookie-hawking Girl Scouts?
I think most VoIP phone services will do something like this for you, and at the same time you can get phone service substantially cheaper than the local telco.
A couple of years ago I was repeatedly getting fax calls at two in the morning. The police couldn’t do anything about it since it wasn’t obscene, and the phone company wouldn’t do anything about it. So I dumped the phone company and switched to VoIP just for this reason.
FWIW, the service I uses is http://www.PhonePower.com.
I have a pay-by-the-minute cell phone. I DO NOT ANSWER the phone if I do not recognize the number. Spammers can leave a message, which they rarely do.
This suggestion might not be helpful if you have to conduct business on your phone. But, if you have to conduct business, then white-lists and all this is not going to help you.
The Moto X achieves this natively with its “do not disturb” feature.
I have mine set for overnights, and only my favorites are allowed to ring through. I’m sure you could set it up so that it is always on…
Confirmed, you can set it to start at 12am and go to 11:59pm and it will filter calls. It also blocks audible notifications, though.
Or put this message on your phone and of course warn your friends:
Your call is important to us please hold….Music…Current wait time 20 minutes please continue to hold.
You can even put the name Arnold Kling support services in there to hint your friends.You of course pick up after the above message finishes.