On Wednesday, AT&T unveiled a new "spam filter" for calls on its network for users of the HD Voice service. AT&T Call Protect aims to stop unwanted calls, such as spam or fraud, at network level, without ever reaching the customers" smartphone.
Phone companies have had such services for years, but those usually adhere to a national Do Not Call register, whereas AT&T"s take on it uses known numbers flagged for fraudulent and spam-like activities.
Users can also whitelist specific numbers, although temporary blocks require downloading a separate Call Protect app. The app is annoyingly absent for Windows phones, but is available on postpaid iOS and Android devices, and can be activated through the MyAT&T system.
Once you activate the service, you"ll get the following benefits:
- Automatic fraud blocking which helps reduce the chances that a customer will become the victim of a phone fraud or scam by stopping these types of calls in the network before they even reach the phone.
- Suspected spam warnings on the incoming call screen which let customers choose whether or not to answer calls that originate from a suspected spam source. (Must be in HD Voice coverage area).
“Nuisance calls are an industry-wide problem that unfortunately affect many people,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Device and Network Services Marketing, AT&T. “We’ve listened to our customers and know they want a network that provides tools to proactively assist in blocking nuisance calls. AT&T Call Protect, along with others, will help put customers more in control of the calls they receive.”
To learn more, visit att.com/callprotect. To report unwanted calls and text messages, visit att.com/fraud.