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Knowledge Base document #142

Setting up call blocks for incoming and outgoing calls (e.g. premium-rate numbers)

You can set up call blocks in the FRITZ!Box. Call blocks for outgoing calls prevent specific phone numbers from being dialled. Call blocks for incoming calls block unwanted calls. With call blocks, you can:

  • Block outgoing calls to specific phone numbers or number ranges (for example premium-rate numbers).
  • Block incoming calls from phone numbers or number ranges (e.g. phone numbers that make nuisance calls).
  • Block callers who hide their phone number (anonymous callers).

If a call is rejected, the FRITZ!Box sends a message to the exchange, for example '603 - decline'. The caller may see this message. Normally the caller also hears an announcement from the telephony provider, for example 'This number is temporarily unavailable'.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Blocking outgoing calls and defining exceptions

Blocking a phone number or range of phone numbers

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Call Handling' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Click on the 'Call Blocks' tab.
  4. Click on the 'New Rule' button.
  5. Enable the 'outgoing calls' option.
  6. Either enter a complete phone number or a number range.

    Note:A number range contains all of the phone numbers that begin with the specified numbers. For instance, the range '00' contains all phone numbers that start with '00'. This means all international calls.

  7. Click on 'OK' to save the settings.

Configuring exceptions for blocked number ranges

You can use a dialling rule to configure exceptions for individual numbers or number ranges that should remain reachable:

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Call Handling' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Click on the 'Dialling Rules' tab.
  4. Click on the 'New Dialling Rule' button.
  5. Select the 'Telephone number' option from the 'Number range' drop-down list.
  6. Enter the complete phone number including area code or enter a number range you want to allow calls to.

    Example:
    You configured a block for international calls but still want to allow calls to be made to USA. Enter the country code for USA, '001', as the phone number in the dialling rule.
    You configured a block for the mobile phone network but want to allow calls to your mobile phone number. In this case, enter your complete phone number when configuring the dialling rule.

  7. For 'Connect via', select the phone number to be used to call the number.
  8. Click on 'OK' to save the settings.

2 Blocking incoming calls and defining exceptions

Blocking anonymous calls

You can block all callers who withhold their number (anonymous callers). If you have several phone numbers, you can either configure the call block for all calls or only for calls to one of your numbers:

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Call Handling' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Click on the 'Call Blocks' tab.
  4. Click on the 'New Rule' button.
  5. Enable the 'incoming calls' option.
  6. If you want to block all anonymous callers, regardless of which of your numbers they called, select 'Without a number' from the 'Number range' drop-down list.
    • If you only want to block anonymous callers who call a specific phone number:
      1. Select 'Telephone number range' from the 'Number range' drop-down list.
      2. Enter your phone number preceded by # in the 'Telephone number range' field.

        Example:
        You use your phone number 123456 as a fax number and want to block anonymous fax calls. Enter #123456 in the 'Telephone number range' field. Now all callers who call the fax number 123456 and do not transmit their phone number are rejected.

  7. Click on 'OK' to save the settings.

Blocking calls from a specific phone number or phone number range

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Call Handling' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Click on the 'Call Blocks' tab.
  4. If you want to block a specific phone number:
    1. Click on the 'Blocked Telephone Numbers' ('Prohibited numbers') button.
    2. Click on the 'New Entry' button.
    3. Enter the phone number and a name. The name is then displayed in the call list of the FRITZ!Box.

      Note:Alternatively, you can also block phone numbers directly from the FRITZ!Box's call list by clicking the corresponding 'Add to phone book?' button.

    4. Click on 'OK' and 'Close' to save the settings.
  5. If you want to block a phone number range:
    1. Click on the 'New Rule' button.
    2. Enable the 'incoming calls' option.
    3. Select 'Telephone number range' from the 'Number range' drop-down list.
    4. Enter the desired range (for example 0900 or 123) in the 'Telephone number range' field.
    5. Enter a name for the call block. The name is displayed in the call list of the FRITZ!Box.
    6. Click on 'OK' to save the settings.
  6. If you want to block a phone book:
    1. Click on the 'New Rule' button.
    2. Enable the 'incoming calls' option.
    3. Select 'Telephone book' from the 'Number range' drop-down list.
    4. From the drop-down list, select the phone book that contains the phone numbers and phone number ranges you want to block. Ranges must end with a *.

      Example:
      If you want to use the phone book to block the range '123', create a phone book entry for the number 123*.

    5. Click on 'OK' to save the settings.

Setting up exceptions for specific callers

If you blocked incoming calls to a phone number range, you can set up exceptions for specific callers in the phone book. These callers can still call, despite the block:

  1. Click on 'Telephony' in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click on 'Phone Book' in the 'Telephony' menu.
  3. Click on the (Edit) button next to the entry for the caller.
  4. Enable the 'Important person' option. This option is only available in FRITZ!Box phone books and Google Contacts.
  5. Click on 'OK' to save the settings.
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