topic Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system? in Get Support

Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

Shadowpt — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 22:29:05 GMT

To better protect Canadians against nuisance calls, new measures will gradually be implemented by telecom service providers. For instance, by December 19, 2019 providers must have either implemented a system to block calls within their networks or offer call-filtering services. Canadians should receive fewer unwanted calls thanks to these new safeguards.

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/contact/telemarketing/q7.htm

I looked in the self-serve for any indications of this functionality, but found nothing so far. I have at least 2 numbers that keep calling me on a daily basis for months and I would like to block those numbers at the operator level.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

cellphoneuser1 — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 02:09:35 GMT

@Shadowpt wrote:
To better protect Canadians against nuisance calls, new measures will gradually be implemented by telecom service providers. For instance, by December 19, 2019 providers must have either implemented a system to block calls within their networks or offer call-filtering services. Canadians should receive fewer unwanted calls thanks to these new safeguards.

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/contact/telemarketing/q7.htm

I looked in the self-serve for any indications of this functionality, but found nothing so far. I have at least 2 numbers that keep calling me on a daily basis for months and I would like to block those numbers at the operator level.

If they did, they never told anyone, so I don't think so.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

cin7 — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:14:25 GMT

Not that I'm aware either.

Some phones (newer Google Pixels) may have built in features to block calls; or you might consider downloading some call blocking apps through the App store.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

Shadowpt — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 17:34:39 GMT

I believe I have waited sufficient time for an official answer from the Public Mobile team. Given that none was presented and their system does not appear to provide any means to block numbers as per the regulation I will be forwarding a complaint to the respective entity for the lack of a system implemented by Public Mobile to block calls within their networks or lack of call-filtering services.

I keep being spam called non-stop every day and any 3rd party solutions that I have tried are either insufficient (it redirects to voicemail, no option to just hang up the call), are paid or have a terrible and unstable operation behavior.

I tried to find some way to do this at the network level in Public Mobile, but there does not seem one and I waited for an official feedback from them, yet none was given. I have waited long enough.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

daveopg — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 02:45:01 GMT

Did you ever get a response from the CRTC? I get so many spoofed calls everyday. It seems like something if all providers got together it would be an easy fix to implement as all numbers should be verified correct before initiating calls. (at least the Canadian numbers and work with the US and verify theirs as well)

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

Shadowpt — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 15:59:48 GMT

Seems like the networks are fing finnally being ordered to do what they should have done a long time ago: https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/best-possible-news-relief-from-annoying-robocalls-soon-on-the-way-1.5669152

It's shocking that we had to come this far, have this issue constantly ignored, and the network operators aware of how much it annoys their customers, before they decided to do something about it, which most never did because in reality they really don't give a single F about their customers.

Now we are finally going to have them forced to do something about it, and I really wish that those operators that never did care about this suffer the biggest losses for years to come.

Yes, Public Mobile is one of them, they clearly didn't care at all about this, so any empathy theatrics from now on are just that, theatrics. 👍

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

Yummy — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:06:03 GMT

@Shadowpt wrote:

Yes, Public Mobile is one of them, they clearly didn't care at all about this,

Are you aware of ANY mobile service providers which implemented this?

And how is that suppose to work?

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

softech — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:08:43 GMT

yup.. this is something ordered from CRTC back in April

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/phone/telemarketing/identit.htm

It's true telcom have no incentive to make investment to blocks calls like that. On the other hand, I think it is also CRTC responsible to learn all these new spammer/scammer's tricks and press telecom to react. I think many time, it's CRTC slow response and lack of action.

While we maybe cheering for a possible end of these robo calls, I am not surprise those scammer will respond with new tricks and workaround quick.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

Anonymous — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:10:41 GMT

@Yummy : Telus and Koodo have Call Control where you need to permit a maximum number of people to call you and they have to enter a code of sorts. Way too much work. Other than that, ALL providers are required to block mal-formed numbers. Which surprised me with the recent V number thread. But someone said the internals of that call were "legit" so it passed. Sneaky people.

I continue to not grasp people hating all this. Just hang up! If you get a human then tell them to remove you from their calling list. It worked for me a few years ago. But now my newer numbers are being used. Oh well. Hang up. It's not hard.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

Shadowpt — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:30:33 GMT

@Yummy(have no idea how to quote reply, the only option available is just reply which does not quote so, meh 🤷‍ )

How about you read the article then:

Furthermore, in the article it is stated the 2021 November deadlines as well.

Hope that answers your question, which could have been avoided in the first place had you read the update to which you replied to 👍

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

CountyDownIeUk — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:34:13 GMT

Is this what you are talking about?

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

Shadowpt — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:38:47 GMT

@Anonymousclearly never had the bad luck like many others (such as myself) of being spammed with over 18 scam calls per day, almost every day, for months. I'm sure the tune would be different if that was the case 👍

@CountyDownIeUkHow about you read the thread from the beginning and the article that was posted before replying with something like that then, no? If you did you'd had no trouble understanding what I was talking about because I literally explain what I was talking about. But then again, I understand the difficulty since it requires the most exhausting and hardest task of all: to read it.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

Meow — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 16:40:52 GMT

@CountyDownIeUk wrote:
Is this what you are talking about?

Great find! But who is going to read all that...?

At the end should just few sentences for ordinary folks: Callers which phone number does not match number appearing on call display will be considered as Spammers and will be prosecuted. We can easily track them, so watch what you are doing...

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

CountyDownIeUk — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 17:22:06 GMT

Soon on the way....which means not fully implemented.

https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/best-possible-news-relief-from-annoying-robocalls-soon-on-the-way-1.5669152

The other link I supplied also was to protect us from unwanted foreign calls for what it was worth.

But I guess it was of no value.

Bottom line instead of expecting to be spoon fed, you can control unwanted calls yourself by having an effective contacts list and to understand how your device can help you block and or use the Do Not Disturb settings.

Don’t expect the government or telco to take care of the issue. Especially when you can do it all yourself. And just to mention the Do Not Call Registry that was created due to many complaints doesn’t work all that well...so much for government solutions.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

daveopg — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 10:06:34 GMT

@Anonymous Wrote:

"I continue to not grasp people hating all this. Just hang up! If you get a human then tell them to remove you from their calling list. It worked for me a few years ago. But now my newer numbers are being used. Oh well. Hang up. It's not hard."

It's easy to hang-up but not always as easy to answer. And it should be an easy fix. Some days I get 15 of these calls. I work outside, have gloves on. Digging my phone out of pockets or shutting down equipment and removing gloves so I can answer each one of these just to find out it's a spoofed number is frustrating after 10 or so times in one day. I don't know how the system works exactly but know enough about technology to think it should be easy enough to implement some software changes that when you make a call from your phone it can verify it comes from the correct account that owns a Canadian or US phone number if everyone works together. Foreign numbers could be more difficult but that's for someone else to decide.

Also I assume this would need to be done at TELUS level or higher, not Public Mobile.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

daveopg — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 10:12:08 GMT

@CountyDownIeUk

As for your comment of add everyone to your contact list and change setting to allow contacts only calls is not ideal. If you have a business it's not possible to do this as you would block new customers or customers that change their number or use a different phone. Also I would just prefer an easy fix for a broken system then I can have only legit calls and not have to block people at least for non foreign phone numbers at a minimum. The spoofing of local phone numbers needs to stop.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

darlicious — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 10:32:46 GMT

@daveopg

I just set up my call forwarding to Lenny for my busy/declined calls. I haven't recieved a spam call since I set it up. I'm almost disappointed. It's not ideal but at least you'll get a laugh out of it. The viceroy of voicemail @Nezgar set it up.

https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Using-Your-Service/Lenny-the-Telemarketers-worst-nightmare/m-p/572114

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

CountyDownIeUk — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 17:02:24 GMT

@daveopg wrote:
@CountyDownIeUk

As for your comment of add everyone to your contact list and change setting to allow contacts only calls is not ideal. If you have a business it's not possible to do this as you would block new customers or customers that change their number or use a different phone. Also I would just prefer an easy fix for a broken system then I can have only legit calls and not have to block people at least for non foreign phone numbers at a minimum. The spoofing of local phone numbers needs to stop.

I would rather make the effort to be proactive and do it myself vs expecting the government to do a half a$$ed job to do the fix.

Re: Did Public Mobile ever implement the mandated CRTC call blocking system?

daveopg — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 03:37:32 GMT

@CountyDownIeUk Wrote: "I would rather make the effort to be proactive and do it myself vs expecting the government to do a half a$$ed job to do the fix."

I am all for the idea of being pro-active and not have the government control everything in life but as I stated in my last reply in my case this is something beyond my control without making my phone useless to me. I pay for a service and I expect the companies I pay for service to provide me something that is useful. This should not cost a ton of money and should be an easy fix, its a software verification of phone numbers matching legitimate accounts to stop the spoofing.

I pay the phone company for call display, I don't think it is unreasonable for me to ask that they make sure the numbers displayed are accurate.

From CTV article above: "The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said Canadians lost more than 15 million dollars to the CRA phone scam and other service scams already this year."

I think it may worth spending a few dollars to protect the vulnerable as I guarantee most of this money from scams is heading overseas so it's to the average Canadian's benefit to try to fight this even if it takes some taxpayers dollars.