An Easy and Reliable Way to Block all Robocalls on Landlines

Robocalls have become really annoying for elderly members of our families. Unwanted calls interrupt their naps and meals. Wake them up in the mornings. We tried different options but to no avail.

We realized that we did not get any robocalls on our business phones, while on our home (landline) and mobile numbers we were getting dozens of robocalls on a regular basis.

Our suspicion was that automated attendants or virtual receptionists helped prevent robocalls and potentially unwanted marketing calls. To test this hypothesis we ported landline services to OOMA Office for our own homes and homes of our family members, and configured a simple menu (e.g., Thank you for calling the Petersons. Press 1 to leave a voicemail, and Press 2 to speak with someone).

Robocalls virtually stopped.

Unfortunately there is no equivalent solution currently on the market for mobile phones

The existing mobile apps somewhat help, but not 100%.

The same approach (incorporating an automated attendant) should be possible to implement for mobile phones, however the Caller ID for outgoing calls would need to match the phone number of the Automated Attendant used for receiving incoming calls.

Google. Currently Google Voice offers an option for screening calls, and it can be one option. But it is somewhat frustrating for callers, more so than having an option to press a number during the automated greeting.

Google Voice for G-Suite already owns the necessary technology, such as an Automated Attendant on the Standard or Premier plans. If Google were to give individual Google Voice accounts the ability to activate and configure an Auto-Attendant, the problem with robocalls would be virtually solved.

Wireless Carriers. For companies like Verizon, AT&T and Sprint/T-Mobile, it would require them to develop and implement (or buy already existing) technologies to incorporate Automated Attendant functionality.