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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 August 2009
I won't cover what other reviews have already written about in detail. Overall the product is very easy to use and set up, and works exactly as stated.
I used some of the advanced features... I activated Anonymous Call Reject on the unit, and then unsubscribed from that feature from BT - this means the unit will pay for itself in around 2 years.
The "WebLink" feature is also very good. It provides access to every setting, blocked and starred number lists, logs of people that have called you and people you have called, links to look up those numbers on the internet or report to the TPS.
I populated my list of "Starred Callers" (your friends and callers you want to get through automatically) by exporting the phonebook from my mobile phone onto my computer, and then editing the data before copy and pasting the list into the TrueCall website (it's simply one number per line, with an optional name, very easy). This meant I didn't have to manually type in 50 or so numbers, and removed the chance of any typos.
Pros:
* Easy to set up.
* Works as stated.
* Lots of settings to play with.
* Default settings work very well.
* 1 watt (only!) switched mode power supply.
* More than replaces anonymous call reject, voicemail, answering machine, call recorder (additional SD card with the software on needed).
* Can block all callers you don't want (especially if you switch on anonymous call reject).
* Can block all international calls.
* Will allow all of your "friends" through automatically and invisibly.
* Can screen all other calls by either asking for their name, asking them to press a button (proves they're not a machine), requiring a PIN (prove they know you), or by listening to them on the answering machine, or any combination of these.
* Good and free telephone and email support (I used this to discuss the mains hum, see below).
Cons:
* The more phones you physically plug into the unit (it says to only plug one into it in the instructions, oh well), the louder a mains hum/buzz gets. I have two phones plugged into it, and it's fine, but as you add more phones (three, four) a hum gets louder and louder. I now use one cordless base station (four handsets) and a wired landline and it's absolutely fine. Note, that you can plug non-phones (i.e. your Sky box) into your wall socket before the unit, so these don't count.
* Picks up interference from cordless phone base stations - you need to keep your base station at least a foot from the TrueCall unit in my experience.
* Will need to pay for the WebLink service after a year - unknown cost. Note here that all the features and settings you really need are provided without the need to use WebLink.
* Weblink will make a short national rate phone call once per week to securely send list of calls made/received, update settings, and download any new firmware. You can turn this off though, and set the number of days between calls, or do it manually.
Settings provided through WebLink (you get this free for one year and the important settings are available through the phone handset as well):
* Shield message (asks for a specific button to be pressed) - on/off/withheld only/unknown caller only.
* Ask callers to say their name - on/off.
* Automatic zap-list removal of numbers you call - on/off.
* Allow international calls straight through - on/off.
* Security level - PIN for settings and messages/PIN for menu only/PIN for remote access only.
* Remote access - on/off.
* Remote access PIN.
* Number of seconds before voicemail answers.
* Beep if new messages - on/off.
* When caller is leaving a message, play through speaker - on/off.
* Give details (numbers, names, etc.) of missed callers as well as messages - on/off.
* Speaker volume - loud/quiet.
* Send list of calls made/received to WebLink service - on/off.
* Caller-ID type - UK landline/cable/VoIP/etc.
* Anonymous call reject - on/off.
* Starred callers only - off/unstarred hear fake ring/unstarred to answering machine/unstarred to enter code.
* PIN Code access callers only - off/ringtone/answering machine/code.
* Caller's PIN code change.
* Zap/Star lists - on/off.
* Call shield key number change.
* Check for network based voicemail (i.e. if you were on the phone and a caller left a voicemail for you) - on/off.
* Call recording (requires additional software on an SD card) - off/selected/on.
* Send zapped caller's caller-id to handset - on/off.
* VoIP adapter (e.g. ATA) - on/off.
* Night shield (all callers not on your star list must press a key if call is made between 11pm and 7am) - on/off.
* Fake not-at-home mode (non-starred callers just hear a continuous ringing tone) - on/off.
* Days between weblink synchronization.
* When listening to messages, also announce numbers of starred callers - on/off.
* Block international calls - on/off.
WebLink features:
* List all incoming and outgoing calls.
* Filter calls by last 2 days, week, month, 3, 6, 12 months, incoming, outgoing.
* Call lists show date/time, incoming/outgoing, duration, number, name (if you entered it on the website for that number).
* Look up (Google) any number on call list.
* Report any number on call list to TPS.
* Export call lists as CSV file (for use in a spreadsheet).
* Edit Zap and Star lists.
* Bulk import numbers for Zap and Star lists (one number and optional name per line).
I used some of the advanced features... I activated Anonymous Call Reject on the unit, and then unsubscribed from that feature from BT - this means the unit will pay for itself in around 2 years.
The "WebLink" feature is also very good. It provides access to every setting, blocked and starred number lists, logs of people that have called you and people you have called, links to look up those numbers on the internet or report to the TPS.
I populated my list of "Starred Callers" (your friends and callers you want to get through automatically) by exporting the phonebook from my mobile phone onto my computer, and then editing the data before copy and pasting the list into the TrueCall website (it's simply one number per line, with an optional name, very easy). This meant I didn't have to manually type in 50 or so numbers, and removed the chance of any typos.
Pros:
* Easy to set up.
* Works as stated.
* Lots of settings to play with.
* Default settings work very well.
* 1 watt (only!) switched mode power supply.
* More than replaces anonymous call reject, voicemail, answering machine, call recorder (additional SD card with the software on needed).
* Can block all callers you don't want (especially if you switch on anonymous call reject).
* Can block all international calls.
* Will allow all of your "friends" through automatically and invisibly.
* Can screen all other calls by either asking for their name, asking them to press a button (proves they're not a machine), requiring a PIN (prove they know you), or by listening to them on the answering machine, or any combination of these.
* Good and free telephone and email support (I used this to discuss the mains hum, see below).
Cons:
* The more phones you physically plug into the unit (it says to only plug one into it in the instructions, oh well), the louder a mains hum/buzz gets. I have two phones plugged into it, and it's fine, but as you add more phones (three, four) a hum gets louder and louder. I now use one cordless base station (four handsets) and a wired landline and it's absolutely fine. Note, that you can plug non-phones (i.e. your Sky box) into your wall socket before the unit, so these don't count.
* Picks up interference from cordless phone base stations - you need to keep your base station at least a foot from the TrueCall unit in my experience.
* Will need to pay for the WebLink service after a year - unknown cost. Note here that all the features and settings you really need are provided without the need to use WebLink.
* Weblink will make a short national rate phone call once per week to securely send list of calls made/received, update settings, and download any new firmware. You can turn this off though, and set the number of days between calls, or do it manually.
Settings provided through WebLink (you get this free for one year and the important settings are available through the phone handset as well):
* Shield message (asks for a specific button to be pressed) - on/off/withheld only/unknown caller only.
* Ask callers to say their name - on/off.
* Automatic zap-list removal of numbers you call - on/off.
* Allow international calls straight through - on/off.
* Security level - PIN for settings and messages/PIN for menu only/PIN for remote access only.
* Remote access - on/off.
* Remote access PIN.
* Number of seconds before voicemail answers.
* Beep if new messages - on/off.
* When caller is leaving a message, play through speaker - on/off.
* Give details (numbers, names, etc.) of missed callers as well as messages - on/off.
* Speaker volume - loud/quiet.
* Send list of calls made/received to WebLink service - on/off.
* Caller-ID type - UK landline/cable/VoIP/etc.
* Anonymous call reject - on/off.
* Starred callers only - off/unstarred hear fake ring/unstarred to answering machine/unstarred to enter code.
* PIN Code access callers only - off/ringtone/answering machine/code.
* Caller's PIN code change.
* Zap/Star lists - on/off.
* Call shield key number change.
* Check for network based voicemail (i.e. if you were on the phone and a caller left a voicemail for you) - on/off.
* Call recording (requires additional software on an SD card) - off/selected/on.
* Send zapped caller's caller-id to handset - on/off.
* VoIP adapter (e.g. ATA) - on/off.
* Night shield (all callers not on your star list must press a key if call is made between 11pm and 7am) - on/off.
* Fake not-at-home mode (non-starred callers just hear a continuous ringing tone) - on/off.
* Days between weblink synchronization.
* When listening to messages, also announce numbers of starred callers - on/off.
* Block international calls - on/off.
WebLink features:
* List all incoming and outgoing calls.
* Filter calls by last 2 days, week, month, 3, 6, 12 months, incoming, outgoing.
* Call lists show date/time, incoming/outgoing, duration, number, name (if you entered it on the website for that number).
* Look up (Google) any number on call list.
* Report any number on call list to TPS.
* Export call lists as CSV file (for use in a spreadsheet).
* Edit Zap and Star lists.
* Bulk import numbers for Zap and Star lists (one number and optional name per line).
