BT unveils service to block nuisance callers

A SERVICE that aims to block millions of nuisance calls each year before they reach Scottish homes is being launched by BT.

The Call Protect service is under the charge of a team at BT’s Oswestry, Shropshire centre, who analyse live data to identify rogue numbers – typically those that make enormous numbers of calls – and add them to a blacklist.

The service, available for BT customers to opt into at no charge, diverts calls before they reach homes, unlike reactive blocking, which has been hampered by nuisance callers frequently changing their numbers to avoid detection.

BT estimates the service could divert up to 30 million calls a week across the UK, including up to 15 million from personal accident claims and PPI companies alone.

Users will also be able to compile their own personal blacklist by adding individual unwanted numbers by dialling 1572 after receiving the call or by going online.

Nuisance callers identified by large numbers of customers will also be added to the list.

A survey for BT found that people in Scotland receive an average of four to five nuisance calls a week, and 60 per cent of people in the UK find them stressful.

Brendan Dick, BT Scotland director, said: “This new service is great news for people in Scotland. Nuisance calls are a big problem for people in Scotland, who receive many millions of such calls every year.”

John Petter, chief executive of BT Consumer, said: “We’re declaring war on the companies that regularly pester our customers with nuisance calls on subjects such as PPI and personal accident claims.”