Silent voicemail messages - annoying!

[trurmt]

I have recently started getting calls from random US numbers that leave a few blank seconds of voicemail. This means I have to keep checking voicemail and deleting these empty voicemail messages. It's time consuming and annoying! Some numbers are calling multiple times, but blocking them on my phone still just sends them to voicemail. Can't Public just automatically ignore/delete silent voicemail messages? Is it a timing issue and Public isn't giving enough time for people to hang up? 

[Nezgar]

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@HALIMACS wrote:

Cool - was unaware the workaround was able to be selective.  I presume the OP needs to SEE the call coming in to send it to the netherworld?

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Both blocking calls, and declined calls will apply to the *67* condition. Blocked calls (based on your phones blocklist) will be silently redirected/forwarded to the dead end number, and you won't see notification of it at all. For other calls, you'll still SEE the call and then you can choose to decline it manually which will also send the call to the same dead-end number. If you IGNORE the call, it will flow through to your voicemail after 4 rings or whatever as usual.

I wrote about this in detail in the past here as well: https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Using-Your-Service/Fun-with-Conditional-Call-forwardi...

You could use this for comic effect / prank purposes as well by sending particular calls from known friends to particular numbers too...

[HALIMACS]

@Nezgar 

Cool - was unaware the workaround was able to be selective.  I presume the OP needs to SEE the call coming in to send it to the netherworld?

I'll re-read your post and may give it a try if I'm ever harassed similarly  👍

[Nezgar]

@HALIMACS "other calls" will still go to voicemail like usual. The other 2 conditional forwards for "unanswered" and "not on network" will remain unchanged.

The only conditional forward I suggest "crippling" is the one that affects blocked & declined calls.

[HALIMACS]

For sure,  @Nezgar 

Thing is, they may not want other calls to not go to voicemail so the OP is in a bit of a quandary here.

I still completely ignore, and it only takes a second to realize it's a useless voicemail, then I just hit #7.  DELETE 

I must have been very lucky over the years because I've never gotten much, if any, spam calls or voice messages

[Nezgar]

@HALIMACS 

Not answering spam calls and letting your voicemail answer them is still an answered call as far as a robocaller database is concerned.

Best to set the busy/declined/blocked conditional call forward to a dead end and then decline the calls as per my last post so that the robocaller system sees the call as failed or not in service rather than answered at all, even by voicemail.

[Nezgar]

@trurmt you may be interested in setting up Youmail.com on your account. Then voicemails are just emailed to you and you dont need to dialin to get them.

Secondly - program your blocked/declined conditional call forward to a dead end number so they aren't immediately forwarded to your voicemail as you noticed. Do it by dialing this:

*67*0000000000#

Undo/reset it back to default: ##67#

Now when you see an incoming call you know is junk, decline the call while it's ringing and it will NOT go to your voicemail. If you block the number, future calls from the number will also automatically be declined and NOT sent to your voicemail.

But also do check out youmail.com - it works with Public mobile! Just select Telus Mobility when it asks which carrier.

[LurganIeUk]

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@hairbag1 wrote:

@trurmt...

can you turn off voicemail for a few days ? These calls seem to be happening in just the last week or so. Hopefully they'll just go away.

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The question to the OP is...can they live without voicemail. I know I can!! Not sure how big the voicemail boxes are by plan but the $15 plan allows 10. Is a PITA if you have to waste calling time and your time for a blank message. So you could just leave your voice mail box full but I believe they erase and reset after a few days. Also what happens if you do a reset on your My Account? Does the reset make it not work at all? Because the next step after the reset is to set it up again. But it does boil down, to me anyways, to have a very accurate list of contacts, friends, aguaintences and enemies. Then if no name shows....then decide to answer or not.....and should be able to attach an unknown number to the voicemail. Bottom line is a PITA that you can't get away from. I love the calls from the USA for septic tank service....like we all have one!!!

[hairbag1]

@trurmt...

can you turn off voicemail for a few days ? These calls seem to be happening in just the last week or so. Hopefully they'll just go away.

[esjliv]

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@trurmt wrote:

I have recently started getting calls from random US numbers that leave a few blank seconds of voicemail. This means I have to keep checking voicemail and deleting these empty voicemail messages. It's time consuming and annoying! Some numbers are calling multiple times, but blocking them on my phone still just sends them to voicemail. Can't Public just automatically ignore/delete silent voicemail messages? Is it a timing issue and Public isn't giving enough time for people to hang up? 

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@trurmt   - that is annoying!

Public Mobile cannot do anything about it unfortunately.

Hopefully these calls will eventually stop coming to you. 

If you are interested you can change your number with Public Mobile every 30 days, at no charge. But that does not mean you will not get spammed, or creeped, on the new number either.

Good Luck!

[softech]

If those calls are from US number that you don't recognize,  I think it's those robot calls spam calls.  I receive some lately, even when I pick up, they say nothing. 

[HALIMACS · Accepted solution]

@trurmt 

Regrettably, there's no easy fix for unwanted callers leaving voice messages, and likely no available technology to ignore silent messages.  (some may be just enough an audible signal that it is able to produce a message - even though no words were audible)

I NEVER answer any calls from numbers/people you either don't recognize or are not on your contact list.  If the person calling you needs you bad enough, they will leave a voice message, if they don't bother leaving one, you likely didn't need to hear from them.

IF YOU DO ANSWER, and the caller is a spammer, it's likely your number will get logged as one which will get answered, so anticipate spam calling to increase (at least in the short term).