Please help - block all numbers except a few

[aanderson]

We need to block ALL numbers incoming and outgoing (calls and texts) from a cell phone (of a teenager) with the exception of a few numbers. All applications we have researched block only certain numbers where we need to allow only a few telephone numbers to text or call incoming or outgoing from this cell phone. PLEASE HELP. Thank you so much!

 

[CptGemini]

I am not real sure that there is an app for that, i know for a fact that your provider will not do anything because with t-mobile I needed a number blocked but they would not do anything about it.

 

[HomelessDepot]

Hmm, it sounds like you're looking for a whitelist app rather than a blacklist - meaning no calls are allowed except for those specified by you. I know there are apps that claim to perform that function, but I've never tried any of them.

I also don't think they've been created with the intention of allowing a third-party to lockdown the phone - generally, you're trying to block telemarketers/ex-girlfriends/etc yourself. So you presumably also need a way to password protect the app, so the phone owner can't just change the block settings... or just uninstall the app, for that matter. Don't know if that throws a wrench in things...

Anyway, just poking around the market and the web I found Firewall Call Blocker, MM Blacklist and Call Control, all of which claim to have a whitelist function.

You might want to call Verizon or whoever and see what they have to say, I'm sure you're not the first person to request this kind of thing.

-HD

 

[Tripwyre715]

Mr. Number Call Block

 

[Gnomad]

It might depend on who your provider is, AT&T Smart Controls will do what you are asking. Verizon has Usage Controls that should work. T-Mobile has Family Allowances . When looking for these types of things your provider usually has some type of option.

 

[RyanB]

I can't help with outgoing calls, but an app called Call Block does do whitelisting of your contacts, blocking partial numbers from calling, etc. For being free, it's pretty sweet.

 

[Johnny Cakes]

FOR INCOMING CALLS:

Go to the Market and download "Mr. Number Call Block"

This app has a blacklist and a whitelist. The whitelist rules are "exceptions" to the blacklist.

So for your situation, you would blacklist ALL numbers and the whitelist the numbers you want to get through.

This app will block texts provided that you have Android 1.6 or later.

FOR OUTGOING CALLS:

This is a bit trickier. Go to the Market and download "Prefixer"

You can set Prefixer to modify the outgoing number after the call is dialed. I use it for hard-coded apps which dial a number and I want to remove my caller-ID block.

You could use it to modify ALL outgoing numbers (except for the ones you want to permit) and add 999 to the number. So when your teen calls any number (except for the permitted numbers), the phone would add 999 to the beginning and then the call would not go through.

MAJOR PROBLEM:

Unless your teen is a dodo, they are going to undo any mod you make the the phone. Maybe someone else has an app to password protect the Android settings/apps.

 

[RyanB]

After thinking about this a bit more, a smartphone may not be the way to go at all. I mean, short of baking something into the ROM, wouldn't there always be a way around it? I would imagine something closer to thes Disney phone that was out a few years back is closer to the ideal, function-wise

 

[Johnny Cakes]

After thinking about this a bit more, a smartphone may not be the way to go at all. I mean, short of baking something into the ROM, wouldn't there always be a way around it? I would imagine something closer to thes Disney phone that was out a few years back is closer to the ideal, function-wise

You are thinking of Firefly Mobile (Firefly Mobile: The Mobile Phone for Mobile Kids)
These phones have five presets for dialing (mom, dad, grandparents, etc.) and a password protected whitelist for which numbers the phone can dial.

I started my kid with that phone. However, it is a totally separate cell phone provider now, although old Firefly phones which accept SIM cards can be found on eBay for $20. If you are on CDMA (Sprint), your are SOL.

But the OP had asked how to modify an existing Android phone, so the Firefly solution is not totally responsive, although it may be the best way to go.

 

[RyanB]

Exactly. Given the amount of control a user has with just about any smartphone these days, I'm not sure that there's an option that one could realistically rely on in the long term. I'd imagine the process to undo the controls would start with a few simple Google searches, hence my recommendation of something that's inherently locked down.

 

[BookLover]

This would work if your child has a smartphone: My Mobile Watchdog - Android app on AppBrain

If your child has a BB or WinMo, you should go to their site.

This is NOT spyware, your child will know that this is on their phone.

I'm an advocate of the Sunshine Affect, when a process/person knows they are being evaluated/watched and therefore change their behavior, usually for the better, because they know sunlight is being shed on something that was in the dark before.

 

[takeshi]

Hmm, it sounds like you're looking for a whitelist app rather than a blacklist.

Exactly. Try using whitelist as a keyword in searches.

Keep in mind that from a billing perspective, any "blocked" calls or messages that are blocked by an app count as far as your bill is concerned. An app can't block a call or message until the device actually receives the call or message.