AT&T Home Phone: How to Use Call Block and Screening

[ATTU-verseCare]

Call Block/Call Screening is a feature that allows you to block phone numbers within your local calling area for your traditional home phone service. For AT&T Digital Home Phone call blocking information go here.

Turn Call Block/Call Screening on and off

 Turn On 

1. Press *60.
2. Press 3 to turn the feature on if prompted.

Turn Off 

1. Press *80.
2. Press 3 to turn feature off if prompted.

Add or remove a phone number

 Add a phone number 

1. Press #, dial the 10-digit number you want to add, and press # to confirm
2. Repeat for each number you want to add.

Remove a phone number 

1. Press *, dial the 10-digit number you wish to remove, and press * to confirm
2. Repeat for each number you want to remove.

Tips  

• All 10-digits of the number, including the area code, are needed when adding a number.
• You can press 0 at any time to have the instructions repeated.
• Long-distance numbers or numbers outside the area may not be screened.
• Some mobile numbers can't be blocked.
• 800 numbers cannot be blocked.
• This service is not available in all areas.

Additional Resources

Stop Unwanted Calls

-ATTU-verseCare

[ATTU-verseCare · Accepted solution]

To report landline service and billing (Home Phone) issues click here.

[myruby55]

why is there a limit on home phone as to how many numbers I can block??

[tajoshi24]

I want to see a list of phone numbers that I blocked on my land line.  I want to remove some so I can add more.  I am at my max limit.  I don't remember the numbers added so I therefore can not remove them from the list.

[Artman7027]

After an hour wasted online I called Tech Support which was useless until I said "Operator" and got through to a human being. Here's how to manage call blocking and other phone features online (note: I'm using it for a landline. Every time I tried their "#" the number it instantly gave a busy signal. I guess that works for wireless cellphones where you first key in the # and number before hitting "send" or "call.")

Log in to ATT.com--> click the three horizontal bars next to (right of) the round blue ATT logo (upper left)--> click "Account Overview" from the drop down list--> Click the "+" sign on "My Digital Phone" --> go to the "My voicemail & phone features" box and click the "Check or manage voicemail features" link--> a new page will open showing your "Phone Features"--> scroll down to "Call Filtering" and click "Call Blocking" and you'll see a box to key in a number you want blocked. Those you have blocked appear in the bigger box to the right. To Unblock click the red "X" beside the number.

You are now able to block 100 numbers (mine used to be 20)

[Artman7027]

You are now able to block 100 numbers, Mine used to be 20 as well.

[BarbaraThompson]

I understand that there is a feature on a landline called Call Screening that is not like Call Blocking.  My elderly mother receives calls daily scamming her and fraudulently charging medicare for devices she does not order.  Anyway, an AT&T rep told me that she could designate 20 numbers that would be allowed to ring her phone.  All others would be given a message that said ..........something like........"this phone is not receiving messages".  He said that this feature is not available on mobile phones.  That is what we need!!!  How can I get it?  

[BarbaraThompson]

I understand that there is a feature on a landline called Call Screening that is not like Call Blocking.  My elderly mother receives calls daily scamming her and fraudulently charging medicare for devices she does not order.  Anyway, an AT&T rep told me that she could designate 20 numbers that would be allowed to ring her phone.  All others would be given a message that said ..........something like........"this phone is not receiving messages".  He said that this feature is not available on mobile phones.  That is what we need!!!  How can I get it?  

[BarbaraThompson]

I understand that there is a feature on a landline called Call Screening that is not like Call Blocking.  My elderly mother receives calls daily scamming her and fraudulently charging medicare for devices she does not order.  Anyway, an AT&T rep told me that she could designate 20 numbers that would be allowed to ring her phone.  All others would be given a message that said ..........something like........"this phone is not receiving messages".  He said that this feature is not available on mobile phones.  That is what we need!!!  How can I get it?  

[Artman7027]

There's a great free service that detects and blocks automated robo calls on the 1st ring. After signing up any call that rings just once is automated and the majority of them are spam, fundraisers, political or scams. My advice is to have her go to http://www.nomorobo.com.. and scroll to the bottom of the page. On the left side she will see "Landlines" (FREE). Click "Sign  Up Now." That opens a window that shows all the carriers that use it (AT&T Uverse landline is what I have) and sign up. It has saved me countless hours wasting time with these harrassers.

Another tip is to keep a notepad and pen nearby and write down the numbers that ring once because some will keep calling multiple times (note: some use the same area code and 3 digit prefix but vary the last 4 digits). When that happens, go to ATT.com and block them so they won't even ring once (sign in> click "My Digital Phone" > "My Voicemail & phone features"> click the link> click the "Phone Features" tab> under "Call Filtering" select "Call Blocking"> enter the numbers and click save). AT&T has increased the number of calls one can block from 20 to 100. Finally, make her aware that some robo callers will immediately call back on a different, non automated line if the first attempt was blocked. So if the phone rings once and another normal sounding call (2 or more rings) follows there's a good chance it might be the same scammers. Hope this helps!

[spoom2]

@BarbaraThompson If she has U-verse service she already has it.  It's accessed through your Myatt account and going to the phone features, there's also call protect that replaced nomorobo.   If she has a traditional landline it's not available. 

[gaildy]

I am searching for the same thing and getting no help whatsoever.

[spoom2]

??? Searching for what same thing?  There's many different issues in this old topic. Best bet would be open your own topic and let us know what service you're using and issue you're having. 

[BarbaraThompson]

Hopefully, AT&T is hearing us. Elderly people are being scammed & harassed every day. Medicare fraud is rampant. These companies send my mother items she doesn't need or want & charge exorbitant prices to Medicare. If I could just add the people my mother needs to be able to talk to ...... & keep all other calls from coming in ..... it would add tremendous peace to her life. She will be 93 in April. And, this is too much for her to deal with. HELP!!!!! Thanks for sharing.