monline

Recently I got several calls from a private number (ie. the caller was displayed as "Unknown Number" since no callerID was sent to my phone) and after I picked up there was no sound (I mean literally no sound came from the phone ... if somebody calls you, but doesn't say a word, you still get some "ambient" noise ... but my calls had no sound at all). I picked up at least 5 such calls in two days (apparently it was the same caller) and could not make contact. A few times I tried to speak to the caller telling that I do not hear a thing (in case my voice got to her/him), but the calls continued. It became quite annoying so I started looking for a way to block these calls alltogether.

I've found two apps (and did not look any further) that can block calls from any particular number or calls from private numbers:

• Call Filter
• Handy Blacklist

Call Filter is freeware, but unfortunately it's buggy (at least it was on my N95 8GB). And the biggest problem: it does not block the incoming call instantly (I mean totally silently). A short vibration (and sometimes a very short sound) comes through from the call. There's a small invonenience too: it does not start automatically. You need something like Powerboot to start it automatically after the phone booted.

Handy Blacklist has none of the above problems (apart from being shareware), it just works. The call is "swallowed" silently by the app, only a screen flash lets you know that a call came in (I mean the screensaver stops, the display lights up, then goes back to screensaver again). But no vibration and no sound. The only inconvenience I've found is that these blocked calls do not get into the phones regular call log. You've to enter the app (Handy Blacklist) to be able to see the log of the rejected calls. I suspect that this is the price for the completely silent call blocking (most probably there's no API in the Symbian OS that would allow silent call blocking and still record the calls in the phone's regular call log).

PS: btw. I've a hunch that these calls are related to the upcoming elections. Probably some machine tries to call me and play back some promo stuff for a party.