Verizon has announced further enhancements to its Call Filter product that will now categorize calls when the caller is not saved in the recipient’s contact list, seeking to provide an extra layer of protection and information to its customers when they receive calls from unknown sources.
Calls will be labeled with categories such as healthcare or public service, according to Verizon, which announced the upgrades last week. The objective is to provide more information so the recipient can make a decision about whether to answer an incoming call or not. Verizon did not announce all the categories that it will be using to label incoming calls that are not part of the recipient’s contacts, so it remains to be seen how calls from a collection operation might be labeled.
Verizon’s Call Filter product has identified 2.5 billion unsanctioned calls and blocked robocalls for more than 10 times that amount in May and June of this year, according to a published report. Call Filter is available to Verizon subscribers for free, while its Call Filter Plus, which has Caller ID, spam look-ups, a personal blocked list, and a spam risk meter, is available for $2.99 per month per subscriber.
In announcing the Call Filter upgrades, Verizon also provided some advice about text messages that companies may want to consider if they are using that channel to try and communicate with consumers.
“We’re working hard behind the scenes to help block the bad while protecting the good and you can help too,” Verizon said. “If you or someone you know receives a spam text message, report it by simply forwarding the message to 7726 from your mobile phone. And remember folks: never respond to or click on a link in a message that you’re not expecting.”
