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Blocking telemarketers with an OBi ATA

Started by etinork, January 22, 2021, 08:20:38 AM

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etinork

I have been struggling without luck to replicate the ability to block crap calls using the steps outlined here:
https://toao.net/503-blocking-telemarketers-with-an-obi-ata

I've tried the following:

User Settings >> User Defined Digit Maps:
Label: Telemarketers
DigitMap: (2064560661|9052811282|8888001250)

The following may is set as the InboundCallRoute of the LINE port on the OBi110.
InboundCallRoute: {(MTelemarketers):},{ph}

No matter what I put in the User defined digit map, NOTHING is answered by the Obi212 after one ring. 

Can anyone please shed some light on what I'm doing wrong?

drgeoff

#1
Please remove all the other copies of your post.

Without seeing exactly what you have put and where it is impossible for anyone to know what you are doing incorrectly.

Some of several possibilities:

1.  Modifying the wrong InboundCall Route.

2.  Modifying by logging in locally intead of using Expert mode from your dashboard at obitalk.com.

3. Using an ITSP that is sending CallerID in a slightly different format from the 10 digit one (or whatever) you assume.

4. The OBi212 was damaged when you threw it into the garbage.

etinork

#2
My intention for getting the Obi212 was to hook the line port to my POTs phone service, and the phone port to the analog phones in the house.  This worked, but some features did not work, for instance call waiting caller id. So, I abandoned that effort, and threw the device in my symbolic garbage can (box of unused electronics).

I've since read that even if I'm not using the Obi212 to route calls or using voip services, that the device can be a powerful call blocking device, so I'm attempting to get that functionality to work. I didnt realize that connecting locally to the Obi device was different than using Expert mode, so I'm trying that, but still no luck.

I have a POTs line from my Spectrum cable modem.  There is a RJ11 splitter on the cable modem, and one line goes to my analog phones, and the other to the line port of the Obi212. There is nothing plugged into the phone port of the Obi212.  I'm not using any voip services, I just want the Obi212 to answer calls matching certain area codes & exchanges after one ring, as I've read it can. The Caller ID format from the Spectrum ITSP appears to be in this format 1-###-###-####

In Expert mode, Under physical interfaces -> Line, I've tried the following entry: {(xxx205xxxx):} trying to block exchange 205, when calling from that exchange, the Obi is not picking up the call after multiple rings.  I've tried  {(xxxxxxxxxx):} expecting it to answer any call, but it does not.  I've tried using 10 x's and 11 x's in case the leading digit 1 is counted, but to no avail.  The Obi212 never answers the incoming POTs call coming in on the LINE port of the device.

At its most basic, shouldnt I be able to put something in the InboundCallRoute field of the LINE port to have the Obi212 pick up matching calls? Thank you for any advice you can share.

drgeoff

Quote from: etinork on January 23, 2021, 08:32:31 AM
My intention for getting the Obi212 was to hook the line port to my POTs phone service, and the phone port to the analog phones in the house.  This worked, but some features did not work, for instance call waiting caller id. So, I abandoned that effort, and threw the device in my symbolic garbage can (box of unused electronics).

I've since read that even if I'm not using the Obi212 to route calls or using voip services, that the device can be a powerful call blocking device, so I'm attempting to get that functionality to work. I didnt realize that connecting locally to the Obi device was different than using Expert mode, so I'm trying that, but still no luck.

I have a POTs line from my Spectrum cable modem.  There is a RJ11 splitter on the cable modem, and one line goes to my analog phones, and the other to the line port of the Obi212. There is nothing plugged into the phone port of the Obi212.  I'm not using any voip services, I just want the Obi212 to answer calls matching certain area codes & exchanges after one ring, as I've read it can. The Caller ID format from the Spectrum ITSP appears to be in this format 1-###-###-####

In Expert mode, Under physical interfaces -> Line, I've tried the following entry: {(xxx205xxxx):} trying to block exchange 205, when calling from that exchange, the Obi is not picking up the call after multiple rings.  I've tried  {(xxxxxxxxxx):} expecting it to answer any call, but it does not.  I've tried using 10 x's and 11 x's in case the leading digit 1 is counted, but to no avail.  The Obi212 never answers the incoming POTs call coming in on the LINE port of the device.

At its most basic, shouldnt I be able to put something in the InboundCallRoute field of the LINE port to have the Obi212 pick up matching calls? Thank you for any advice you can share.
1.  If the CallerID going to the OBi is 11 digits then a digit map of 10 digits will never match it.  Digit Maps and Call Routeing are explained in pages 191 onwards of https://www.obitalk.com/info/documents/admin_guide/OBiDeviceAdminGuide.pdf.  You can check what, if any, Caller ID the OBi is receiving by looking at Call History.  (Under Status when logging in locally.)

2.  You should be placing the OBi between your "POTS line" and all your phones.  That way, no phones will ring, even once, on blocked numbers.  Connect the OBi's PHONE port to the house phone wiring but ensure that the house wiring is completely disconnected  from any other phone line.

3.  Whether you use local configuration or portal expert mode to make changes is up to you. Settings made by the former will always be overwritten by the portal unless Obitalk Provisioning is disabled.  (Under System Management, Auto Provisioning when logging in locally).

azrobert

It's not working because the method you are using produces the equivalent of a busy signal. This does not end the call and your home phone continues to ring. You need a method that actually answers the call. One method is to send the call to the Auto Attendant. You can create a custom greeting to tell the caller "Go F yourself" or delete all the greetings , so the caller hears silence. You also need other changes, so the caller can't accidently use the AA.

User Settings >> User Defined Digit Maps:
Label: Telemarketers
DigitMap: (1xxx205xxxx|12064560661|19052811282|18888001250)

Line InboundCallRoute: {(MTelemarketers):aa}

Voice Services -> Auto Attendant
DigitMap: (0)
OutboundCallRoute: {0:}
AnswerDelay: 0
Welcome: &pause()
menuTitle: &pause()
Menu: &pause()
EnterNumber: &pause()

&pause() will delete the prompt.

Does your service provider have the Simul-Ring feature? If yes, you can also send calls to NoMoRobo. NoMoRobo will only block calls from CIDs in their database.

azrobert

Quote from: drgeoff on January 23, 2021, 09:11:43 AM
2.  You should be placing the OBi between your "POTS line" and all your phones.  That way, no phones will ring, even once, on blocked numbers.  Connect the OBi's PHONE port to the house phone wiring but ensure that the house wiring is completely disconnected  from any other phone line.

The OP doesn't want to do this because some features don't work on the OBi.

drgeoff

Quote from: azrobert on January 23, 2021, 01:17:09 PM
Quote from: drgeoff on January 23, 2021, 09:11:43 AM
2.  You should be placing the OBi between your "POTS line" and all your phones.  That way, no phones will ring, even once, on blocked numbers.  Connect the OBi's PHONE port to the house phone wiring but ensure that the house wiring is completely disconnected  from any other phone line.

The OP doesn't want to do this because some features don't work on the OBi.
My understanding is that the OP only wants to use the OBi212 on his emulated POTS line.  What features of that cannot be made to work?

azrobert

Quote from: etinork on January 23, 2021, 08:32:31 AM
My intention for getting the Obi212 was to hook the line port to my POTs phone service, and the phone port to the analog phones in the house.  This worked, but some features did not work, for instance call waiting caller id.

etinork

Due to a death in the family, I've not had a chance to get back to this project. I will try the recommendations folks have posted here, and will report my progress.

Thanks for all the excellent suggestions, it is appreciated!