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More dynamic call blocking

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2024 11:37 am
by salemdan
It would be nice to be able to block incoming calls based on country code and/or zip code.
I'm not sure if this is already a thing, but it appears that support doesn't help much if it is. I also suggest support being better.

Re: More dynamic call blocking

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2024 5:46 pm
by Robek
Live chat is ok for simple questions with quick answers, but they usually direct users to customer support for harder questions, requests, or troubleshooting technical issues.

Country calling codes are divided into zones, based on the first digit: zone 1 (for U.S., Canada, etc.), and zones 2-9 (for everywhere else). When blocking calls by number, Ooma implicitly adds a leading '1' to the number pattern, (to match zone 1 numbers), unless the pattern begins with a '+' (to match other zones).

Use the "Numbers that start with ..." qualifier to block numbers by area code or by country calling code:
  • For zone 1, block selected countries, islands, or territories by their individual area codes; create a separate block list entry for each area code. Check now and again for new area codes.
  • For zones 2-9, block selected zones (or individual country codes); create a separate block list entry for each zone/code, adding a '+' before the number. For example: ("+2", "+3", ..., "+8", "+9").
This example requires at least 100 block list entries to block all non-U.S. numbers. But if that still seems like a lot, then consider a less preemptive approach, waiting for unwanted calls before blocking their area/country codes. For more examples, see also: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=24335#p149750