blocked caller can still leave voicemail - how to prevent? (UK mobile)

December 10, 2020 4:39 AM

There's a certain person that I don't appreciate hearing from, so I blocked their number on my mobile phone. But I just discovered that they can still leave voicemail. Can I block that too?

Handset is an iPhone 8+ with iOS 14.2. Phone service comes from Virgin Mobile on a rolling monthly contract. The person's call is not listed under Recents, so it seems like blocking their number has worked from a handset point of view. But I guess the mobile network still passes their call through to my voicemail, similarly to how it would if I didn't pick up. I looked here but didn't find any help.

Is there some other step I can take so that the call isn't answered at all, even by voicemail? I'm happy to switch networks, within reason, if someone else offers this feature.

posted by rd45 to Technology (3 answers total)

I don't know if this is applicable in the UK, but in the US, with Verizon, there are two blocking methods. One is on the phone itself, if you select recent calls there is an option to block a number that called you. That blocking option will still allow those calls to go to voice mail. But if I log into my account on Verizon's website, there is a blocking option that allows you to block a certain limited quantity of phone numbers completely, including from voice mail. Those blocks expire after something like 90 days and have to be renewed.
posted by jkent at 4:49 AM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

Best answer: This seems to be something UK networks tend not to support. Here are people asking for exactly what you want on the Virgin Mobile, Vodafone, O2 and EE forums, and getting advised to register with the TPS, change their phone number or turn off voicemail.

However, I couldn't find anyone asking about it on the Three community forum, and the person asking about it on EE, in April this year, mentions that "this didn't happen with iPhone on 3 - a block meant they couldn't leave a voicemail". Which isn't conclusive, but it does seem as if it would be worth asking Three about.
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 6:22 AM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

Your phone is not capable but you can download apps like Google voice and that gives you a second phone number at which point you forward all calls your old numbers received to that new number, change your Google voice settings (per caller feature let's you block anyone you choose, groups of anyones you lump together or everyone with blocked phone numbers) then when they call it plays "the caller you have dialed has been disconnected"
posted by The_imp_inimpossible at 2:31 AM on December 11, 2020 [1 favorite]