Toll blocking is an optional and preventative feature that enables customers to block certain fee-associated calls from being placed or received by a landline telephone. The specific characteristics of a toll-blocking package varies depending on your phone company and the services it provides, but in general, toll-blocking packages restrict long distance, operator-assisted, directory-assisted and collect calls. To enable the blocking feature, contact your phone company's customer service.
Long Distance
Toll-blocking services can block your ability to place long distance and regional toll calls. If someone tries to use your home phone to place such a call, the call will be intercepted instead of being connected, and an automated recording may be played, explaining that the call cannot be completed from this telephone at the customer's request.
Operator or Directory Assisted
Enabling toll blocking on your home or business phone may prevent you from placing operator calls starting with "0" or directory assistance calls such as "1+555-1212" or "1+411." Although toll blocking can generally stop these calls from being completed when dialed through a direct means of "1+," "0+" and "0," if someone uses an alternate way to dial the call using your phone, toll blocking may be unable to block the call and you may be charged.
Collect Calls
While toll-blocking packages can block most incoming collect calls, some companies warn that this component of service is not guaranteed and that customers who accept collect calls will be billed accordingly. If you do not want to be held accountable for a billable call, be sure to deny all collect calls even if you have already enabled toll blocking on your phone.
Restrictions, Limitations and Possible Fees
If you are interested in setting up toll blocking for your landline telephone, contact a relevant customer service representative to understand what your specific plan would look like. There may be additional optional services that further restrict calls from and to billable numbers, and there may be a one-time or ongoing fee to apply toll blocking to your line.
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Elizabeth Valentine is an experienced freelance writer. She graduated with a bachelor's degree from Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management and has also worked as a beauty advisor. She has published more than 250 pieces of content at sites such as Associated Content and eHow, having been working in the field of writing since 2007.