# Is it possible to block specific phone lines?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-block-specific-phone-lines/122459>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 5, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-block-specific-phone-lines/122459 "2002-08-05T19:02:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2002, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-block-specific-phone-lines/122459/1 "2002-08-05T19:02:18Z")

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My first post got eaten, so if it suddenly pops up again, please know it was an accident.  
So, is there any way to block specific phone numbers from calling? I’m talking about residential ones, mainly- people who I have no desire to speak to, listen to messages from, or screen. I just want their call to not ever come through.

I don’t have caller ID, and I’m not that familiar with it. Do they make ones where you can program in a list of numbers and just outright block them from reaching your number?

Thanks in advance,

-j

P.S. United States, Mass. if it matters

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**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [August 5, 2002, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-block-specific-phone-lines/122459/2 "2002-08-05T19:17:39Z")

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I assume Call Blocker service is still available, it certainly was a few years ago. As I recall, you can have up to ten numbers blocked so that they never ring in. Naturally, there’s a monthly fee for this service. You can probably read about it in the front section of your local phone book, or of course your local company can discuss it with you if you can actually get a human on the line.