Homemade Cell Phone Call Blocker?

G)-(ostly asks: "Recently, I've been plagued by a number of calls that were mis-dialed to my cell phone. They're particularly annoying because, being on a cell phone, the wrong number calls follow me everywhere as opposed to just being ignored in an empty house during the day. Verizon, of course, has scripted their drones to claim they can't do anything about it except change the number (or we can turn off the phone), which of course probably wouldn't change anything since we'd just get different mis-dials. However, since it's in my possession, would it be possible to build a software package that could be used to 'screen' unwanted numbers right on the phone? If so, how would one even begin to find APIs for phones, or load the software, once built, onto it?" How long do you figure it will take phone makers to recognize the need for this feature?

A cheap and dirty way to do this would be to add the numbers you wish to block to your phone's contact list and give them a silent ring. However, you then waste the phones memory with a phone-book entry (which can be hundreds of bytes), when all you really need is a list consisting of 10-12 digit numbers (depending on locality). The other drawback to this method is that you might need to use those contact slots, so it isn't a solution for everyone. Still, this sounds like a useful feature, but there is still the issue of how much control the cell phone's OS will give you over its basic operations (blocking messages sent from a specific number, for example). Has anyone tried doing this on their phone? What kind of luck did you have?

Im guessing your number is

[technoextreme]

555-filk.

How about a checksum digit in phone numbers?

[evilad]

One checksum digit would eliminate *every* one-digit-wrong misdialed number. Why why why don't phone numbers have checksum digits?

I feel your pain

[Opportunist]

The phone# of a friend of mine is one digit different from the one for Ticket Master.

After walking with him for a while, you'd start to think his name is "wrong number".

Re:Different #s have different wrong number rates

[fm6]

I once had a similar issue with my landline. The problem was that if you swapped two digits while dialing a certain motel, you'd get my number. Not only did I get a lot of calls from people who were just sloppy dialing, but I got a lot of calls from one particular flake who misdialed the number quite consistently. Never did find out why he called the motel so much, though his attitude and way of talking made me think his drug connection must have worked there. He'd refuse to believe me when I told him he had the wrong number, and get really nasty when I'd remind him that this was the umpteenth time he'd done so.

Once I answered the phone, got the usual idiot. I said, "Asshole!" and hung up. He speed-dialed me until I got tired of hanging up on him, then left a 20-minute rant on my answering machine.

Eventually, I moved to a different area code and had to change my number. Had Pacific Bell notify callers of my new number. Came home one day to find a message on my machine: "What the fuck?" Yep, same guy. I'll always wonder: did he think the motel had moved across state or what?

Re:I feel your pain

[Anonymous Coward]

Ooh baby, teach him to answer by saying "can I have your credit card number please?" Only tell people it's a wrong number after they give it. Those people will dial carefully after that. Also, he will probably be able to afford another phone.

Re:Number Re-assignment

[beacher]

That happened with my Cingular line. The funniest thing was that they didn't delete the "say your name" recording that the previous number had. Moussad Arryah (something like that.. really thick arabic accent).
I really enjoyed leaving messages to other Cingular customers because it left Moussad's greeting and it was ominous. The downside is that I occasioanlly got calls from his creditors.

Re:How long do you figure it will take phone maker

[Siffy]

24/7/365

Sweet! Where are you living that has 365 weeks in a year?

867-5309

[Samurai]

Jenny? Is that you?

Re:Different #s have different wrong number rates

[plover]

Here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, it has been split into four area codes: 612 (old), 763, 952 and 651. The area codes were specifically chosen to not match any existing local 3-digit exchanges in order to avoid that exact problem.

On a somewhat related note, I, too once had a number that was commonly misdialed. The old number was (not the 555, obviously) 612-555-3116. I started getting calls for people trying to order Twins tickets. I couldn't figure it out until I picked up one of those little pocket Twins schedules they used to hand out at gas stations. There, printed right on the cover, was "FOR TWINS TICKETS CALL 612-555-3116". They published the wrong number, and it was mine! For a few days, I had "Hi, leave your Visa number at the beep!" as my outgoing message, but I figured I might be asking for trouble.

Re:Different #s have different wrong number rates

[blubdog]

Where I lived previously, my phone number was one digit off from a popular delivery pizza place. In the evenings I got quite a few calls from people wanting to order a pizza. A lot of the calls were from the same drunk people.

My solution was simple, I started answering my phone with the name of the pizza place, and TOOK ORDERS! People would call back in 30-60 minutes asking where their pizza was, so I appoligized and offered them a free pizza to be delivered right away. Then I unplugged my phone and went to bed.

The serious side of this story is after a few days of taking orders, I rarely got another call from someone wanting to order a pizza.

This was over 25 years ago. I wonder if there are skeletons of people in homes still waiting for their pizza? :-)