How To Block Phone Numbers On Comcast Voice Service
Use Comcast’s phone service? If so, you can block incoming calls by their caller ID number so that telemarketers, charities, and even bill collectors who use one of the loopholes to get around the Do Not Call list stop bothering you.
While the feature isn’t heavily advertised, my understanding is that it is available for all Comcast cable telephone customers. Blocking phone numbers is still necessary thanks to all the creeps using loopholes in the Do Not Call laws to keep calling you, and this great time saving strategy is free and easy on several phone company’s service. If your phone company doesn’t offer it, consider switching to their more user friendly competitors.
I was thrilled to find this service after Google bought up Grand Central and then just let it rot on the back burner. I used to use GrandCentral to create phone numbers to give to organizations and then you can customize your incoming calls to go straight to voicemail or get blocked, or whatever. But, since Google just bought the service to keep it from growing instead of because it wanted to do anything with it, it hasn’t allowed new accounts in quite some time. The Comcast blocking isn’t quite as good as GrandCentral’s is and it isn’t online, but it works and I can once again make sure computerized robots and people doing a “survey” stop bothering me once and for all.
Comcast’s Block Incoming Calls From a Specific Number Feature
To use this awesome feature, pick up your phone and dial *60. You’ll get a computerized menu that starts with Option 1 which is to turn the service on (and then off should you choose). Once you have turned it on, listen to the prompts until you get “Add number to your block list.”
Now, just dial in that annoying fundraiser that keeps calling, or the charity that calls you every two weeks to “update” you and then asks for more money just because you donated to them once. Even better, dial in the number of that stupid automated phone call for a bill collector that is for someone that doesn’t even live at your house!
To really make this effective, combine it with the Call Screening feature to block all anonymous incoming calls. That way, you will always see the number you need to block in your caller ID.
Oh, and here is a quick tip, go ahead and add 000-000-0000 as your first number. Some shifty or downright fraudulent marketers and other dirt bag callers will set there end to report all zeros as their caller ID number to get around you knowing who is calling. Oops, too bad guys, you lose, that is already blocked.
I add every number that calls and hangs up without leaving a message. I don’t know what they want, but if they can’t even give me the courtesy to leave a message, I probably don’t want to hear it.
Related posts:
I happened onto this web site in desperation to stop unwanted phone calls. I just want to say thank you for the information. It has made life a lot nicer
Glad to help.
It seems like every phone service should have the ability to block whatever number you want based on caller ID. I guess that would hurt their business of selling phone lists to telemarketers too much.
As usual, Comcast is clueless about customer needs…. They seem to want to hide this terrific feature. I have Comcast, as I need high speed Internet and they are the only option here, (They suck so bad I really think about going back to ancient dial-up technology.)
I finally Googled it to fine this webpage – THANKS for that!.
I want to give you a big thank you for posting this info, Ever since I was issued my phone number I have been plagued with someone else’s bill collectors calling all hours of the day. Thanks to you I have blocked them THANK YOU!!
The caller ID keeps putting the word unknown and the caller ID shows 0
Since Comcast wants a six diget number, how do I rid myself about this unknown caller
with the number 0.
The setting to block unknown is different and may be one of the other options. You can try to listen to the menu at the beginning and see if there is a “block unknown”. As for the 0. I ended up blocking 000-000-0000 myself because a lot of telemarketers seem to like that trick. It doesn’t show up as “unknown” but it obviously is not legit.
You can also try checking the Comcast.net website and see if you can block callers without caller ID there. I think it was one of the “extra” services that you could choose from.
Sorry I can’t be more helpful, but I recently canceled my land line and went with just my cellphone, so I can’t go into the system and try it out myself.