How to block all incoming unknown calls

Teracube Thrive
#1

We are in the process of developing our own “Safe calling” feature where the parents will be able to allow/block contacts and all unknown calls will be blocked. The current ETA to launch is 4-6 weeks (mid-July 2023). Till that time, you can use the workaround mentioned in this article.

The default phone dialing app on Teracube Thrive is the “Google Phone” app. While it has pretty good anti-spam features, one feature it does not have is to block all unknown calls.

Warning: Once you block all unknown calls, your child may not receive calls from emergency services like Police calls. Also - you may not be able to reach your child from other phones (if you do not have access to your own phone).

Note: As noted by @Flashcoach - this process will only limit incoming calls.

If you would like to block all unknown calls (callers who are not in your contacts), then please do the following (3rd party app - costs $1.59):

  1. On the Thrive phone, Install the “Simple Dialer” app from Play store.

  2. Open the Simple Dialer app. Make it the default calling app when asked for.

  3. Tap the 3-dots on top-right > Settings > Manage Blocked Numbers (Locked)

  4. Pay $1.59 to get their paid feature

  5. Once you have paid (installed their paid thank you app), open Simple Dialer > 3-dot menu > Settings > Manage Blocked Numbers

  6. Check the setting at the top “Block calls from not stored contacts”. The app will guide you to make it the default Spam handling app.

  7. Remove the shortcut for the old phone app from home screen. Drag the Simple Dialer to your homescreen so that your kid uses simple dialer all the time.

You should be all set now. All unknown calls will get blocked.

We are working on implementing this as a built-in feature in Thrive in the near future.

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#2

Or you can do the following:

  1. Tap the phone icon on your Android, which is usually at the bottom of the home screen.

  2. Tap the three dots at the top of the Phone app screen.

  3. Tap “Settings” in the dropdown menu.

  4. Tap “Block numbers” and then toggle the button beside “Block unknown callers” to green.

  5. Enjoy peace of mind!

#3

Hi @Cedro - thank you for the tip. However, the method you have mentioned does not block calls from all unknown numbers (not in your contacts). Goal of this article is to block calls from anyone who is not in Contacts.

Your approach only blocks calls that are unknown in nature (caller id missing maybe). Here is some information about the default Phone app and Block unknown calls - Block or unblock a phone number - Phone app Help

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#4

That’s weird, because that’s not what it says on my phone

Screenshot_20230203-072434
Screenshot_20230203-0724341080×2280 118 KB

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#5

Usually “unidentified callers” refers to callers that have declined or blocked their CallerID from being sent. These usually show up as “Unknown Caller” or similar, depending upon the Dialer app.

The functionality in Simple Mobile Tools Dialer is more akin to a FDN (but working in the other direction) from older GSM/SIM phones where you could store a fixed allow-list of numbers on the SIM (password-protected) that prevented the phone from dialing out to anything but those.

On Simple Mobile Tools Dialer, enabling the restricted mode prevents any phone call not stored in your Contacts list, which would include things like Blocked numbers and Unknown Callers, so it is even more restrictive than Google’s Dialer.

So with this, you can setup a really limited Contacts list of say Home phone, Mom, Dad, School, etc, and nothing inbound or outbound will connect that is not in that list of Contacts.

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#6

Have followed installation directions for simple mobile tools but app doesn’t restrict inbound and outbound calls to contacts list.

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#7

Inbound numbers not on contact list go to voicemail. Outbound numbers not on contact list still allow outbound calls to those numbers.

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#8

Welcome!

It sounds like using the FDN function might be more what you want.

Have you looked into that?

#9

Hi @Flashcoach - thanks for the feedback. It seems their feature set might be incomplete.

We are in the process of developing our own “Safe calling” feature where the parents will be able to allow/block contacts and all unknown calls will be blocked. The current ETA to launch is 4-6 weeks.

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