Set up your cell phone to block those unwanted Skype conference calls.
Traditional conference calls are scheduled to take place at a certain time, and the participants are notified ahead of time via email with a phone number and access code. It is up to you to initiate your participation in this conference call. Skype customers can independently initiate a conference call with up to 25 people, and, without any notification, call all 25 people to join the conference call. If the initiator of the conference call does not warn you in advance, you will not know that answering this incoming call will put you in a conference call. It doesn't matter if you are using a Skype phone, mobile phone or landline phone.
Instructions
1. Turn off the phone to immediately block all incoming calls while you are in a meeting or otherwise not interested in receiving conference calls or any other incoming calls.
2. Inform conference call initiators that you do not want to participate in any unannounced conference call. This can be quite effective if there are only a few contacts that are including you in their Skype conference calls. If you are plagued with dozens of conference calls initiated by known and unknown contacts, this step is not practical.
3. Ask your carrier to block the problem phone number if you know the phone number of the person(s) who is initiating these unwanted conference calls. Different carriers have different policies on blocking calls. Some carriers will block calls and some carriers will not.
4. Configure you phone to block incoming calls if this feature is available by default in your mobile phone. If it is not available there are numerous aftermarket applications available for your smart phone. For example iPhone can use iBlacklist, Windows Mobile can use iMobileTool and Android can use "Call and SMS Filter."
5. Configure your Skype phone to block unwanted callers by going to "Tools," "Options," selecting the "Calls" tab and checking "Only Allow People in My Contact List to Call Me." Click "Save" and your Skype phone will block any caller who you have not entered into your phone's Contacts list.
6. Configure your Skype phone to block specific contacts by navigating to that contact in your Contacts list and choosing the option "Block This Person" from the menu. Now this contact will be blocked.
7. Obtain an unlisted number for your mobile phone to make it more difficult for unknown callers to find you and then include you in their Skype conference calls.
8. Add repeat Skype conference call incoming numbers to the "National Do Not Call List" by navigating to their website at donotcall.gov, registering and entering the offending phone number(s).
Tags: conference call, conference calls, phone block, phone number, Skype phone, incoming calls