Telus and its flanker brand Koodo have launched a new free feature called “Call Control” that aims to crack down on spam calls.
With Call Control enabled, when a caller phones you for the first time, they are asked to enter a number between 0-9. If they enter it correctly, the call will go through to you. If they don’t enter the correct number, they’ll be notified that they’ve been prevented from reaching you.
The screening process is meant to prevent robocalls from getting through, and supposed to be simple enough for real-life callers to pass.
Customers can add phone numbers to their “Authorized List” to avoid screening them when they call. Telus suggests adding numbers of family members, school offices and doctor’s offices to this list.
If you don’t want to receive calls from certain numbers at all, you can add them to your “Blocked List.” It’s important to note that there is a maximum of 25 numbers that can be added to both lists.
“Call Control will remember your most recent incoming calls, so these callers will not be prompted to enter a number, unless it’s been a long period since they called,” Telus notes.
It’s important to note that Call Control might screen out legitimate auto-dialed calls, such as automated messages that notify you of a package delivery. Also, if your home has an intercom system that you answer with your mobile phone, you should add the intercom’s Caller ID number to your Authorized List.
Further, Telus suggests that customers should add anyone who doesn’t speak English to their Authorized List so that they won’t be prompted.
Telus customers can enable the feature by logging into ‘My Telus,’ selecting the Call Control tab under ‘Plans & Devices’ and then following the instructions on the tab.
Koodo customers can turn on the feature by logging into their account under the ‘Self Serve’ tab, going into ‘Mobile services,’ finding ‘Call Control’ and then clicking ‘Manage.’ From there you will be able to go to the Call Control page where you can add the feature to your account.
You can learn more about the feature here.
Source: Telus, Koodo Via: iPhoneinCanada
Update 18/05/20: The article was updated to clarify that both Telus and Koodo customers have access to the feature, which launched last week.
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