BT Protect – Is it enough?

2 minute read  |  February 26, 2017

What is BT Protect?

Phone giant BT is offering the new service to its customers for free, enabling them to block unwanted phone calls. The way it does this is by filtering out known nuisance callers from its blacklist database.

While the service is free it will only be made available to its landline customers, some 10 million, though experts believe dedicated scammers will find a way to bypass it.

Approximately eight billion unwanted calls are made in Britain each year, with eight in ten households receiving two nuisance calls per week.

Graeme Batsman, a consultant for online security firm Data Security Expert, explained that those looking to combat nuisance calls should look at it more like a maximum security prison. Keep a lock down on information.

For example, many nuisance callers will trawl the internet looking for details so don’t give them anything to find. Never provide your telephone number when filling in an online form unless you are 100% sure of the business. Many online databases are bought and sold like trading cards and you’d be surprised who could end up with your details.

Also, be aware of tick boxes on forms as these can often give businesses carte blanche to contact you or to pass your details to interested third parties. There has never been a worse time to ignore online security warnings.

Other protection products

We recommend that anyone wary of nuisance callers should sign up to the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) which is a register of more than 950 companies who are members of the Direct Marketing Association. It can request that members do not contact you, although foreign callers and those not signed up to the register can still get through.

If you’re sat thinking how wonderful BT are for providing this product for free, think again. BT Protect is entry level. If you want more advanced call blocking you need the ‘choose to refuse’ and ‘anonymous call rejection’ priced at £4.75 and £5.80 a month respectively. These offer more control over which numbers you block.

BT also offer an ‘advanced call blocker’ handset for £50 that can be used regardless of whether you are a BT customer. These handsets are being advertised as being able to block up to 100% of nuisance calls… makes you wonder why they even offer other services?

What to do if you receive a nuisance call

While you may want to rant at the person on the other end of the line, resist the temptation. It’s likely the person on the other end isn’t any happier about making the call as you are receiving it. They are simply doing a job.

Many call centres use automated diallers, so if you are rude or aggressive the handler is more likely to put you back into the system to be called again. By being polite and explaining clearly that you are not interested, you are more likely to be removed from their system as they are often paid per sale and it’s a waste of their time speaking with someone who isn’t interested.

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