How to See Blocked Calls on AT&T
By Maya Austen
Caller ID is a feature that allows the person receiving a call to see where a call is coming from before answering the phone. For privacy purposes, however, someone placing a phone call can choose to block the transmission of their caller ID information. Calls placed from blocked numbers don't show up on the call recipient's caller ID display. But just as callers have the right to block their caller ID information, call recipients can reject calls from blocked numbers. You can use AT&T's Anonymous Call Rejection feature or Privacy Manager to force blocked callers to identify themselves before getting through.
Activate Anonymous Call Rejection
Pick up the telephone handset. Activate Call/Talk mode if you are using a cordless telephone.
Place the phone to your ear. Listen for a dial tone.
Dial *77 from a touch-tone dial telephone. Dial 1177 from a pulse-dial or rotary telephone.
Place the phone to your ear. Listen for a confirmation tone. Once the Anonymous Call Rejection feature is activated, all calls from blocked numbers originating from inside your local service area are intercepted before your phone rings. The person calling from a telephone with a blocked number hears a message that instructs them to turn off the phone's caller ID block before dialing your telephone number again.
Use AT&T Privacy Manager
Contact the AT&T customer service center. The number is printed on your AT&T phone bill.
Inform the AT&T customer service representative that you would like to order Privacy Manager for your telephone line. There's a small one-time activation charge for this service, in addition to a monthly charge. As of April 2011, the rate is $8 per month.
Dial 888-774-5212 from a phone line with Privacy Manager activated. Follow the voice prompts to set up a two to three digit PIN. Give this PIN to family and friends who you would like to be able to dial directly through to your phone line. Phone calls from callers who do not have this PIN are intercepted before your telephone rings. The unknown caller is asked to identify himself. If the caller decides not to identify himself, the call is rejected. If the caller does identify himself, your phone line rings. After hearing who the caller is, you can then choose to accept or decline the call.
References
Tips
- Anonymous Call Rejection and Privacy Manager are only available with AT&T landline phone service. To reject calls from blocked numbers on an AT&T cell phone, the cell phone itself has to be equipped with a feature that allows you to do this.
Writer Bio
Maya Austen began freelance writing in 2009. She has written for many online publications on a wide variety of topics ranging from physical fitness to amateur astronomy. She's also an author and e-book publisher. Austen has a Bachelor of Arts in communications from the New England Institute of Art and currently lives in Boston, Mass.