We used to get telemarketing calls on out first fixed line. Since then we’ve moved to ADSL and a new number that as far as I know is not in any annuaire. I am registered with Bloctel and get pretty much no cold calling. For a period of a few weeks, earlier this year, I received a series of calls, usually around midday, from a series of numbers in Belgium; never the same number twice. I know no-one in Belgium! I picked up the first time (silence) but after that I have blocked every Belgian number that has called. I think they must have crossed me off the list because those calls have stopped.
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I get a couple of regulars (slight number variances each time) from Paris and another couple from Nantes. They don’t give up either! Every single day they ring - lunchtime and evening mainly…
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SO annoying! We even have one lot who call the landline and then the mobile or vice versa. I dont’ pick up any unknown numbers now, if they are real people they will leave a message.
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I had the great pleasure after having Free lie to me on multiple, multiple desperate contacts to them for about 15 months as to why my mobile signal had all but disappeared, of being once again cold called by Free to sign up to their internet box.
I was sitting on a train at the time heading out of Paris packed with commuters. When I told the cold caller I had already told Free not to call me to try to sell me their ‘box’ again twice before,
and that I would never increase my business with Free due to them never solving existing problems, the cold caller wanted to beat a hasty retreat.
I insisted on detailing exactly what Free had failed to do and how desperate I still was for a solution and basically said how dare you call me do you think I am a complete fool to sign up for a box with a company that treats me like this. After I hung up I realised the entire train carriage had taken note and wasn’t going to sign up with Free anytime soon.
Later I came across info elsewhere that Free had been chucked off a lot of servers by Orange as agreements had come to an end around 17 months earlier and Orange had refused to renew. I was now in a black hole area and Free knew it and kept on lying to me and taking 25 Euros per month. Never again Free.
I use a CPR Callblocker (from Amazon). Press the red button on a rogue number and it’s blocked henceforth. OK, so you have to suffer one call (I don’t answer, then check the number on Google), but you’ll never be disturbed by them again. Many calls are repeats from the same number, so our problem has dropped by over 90% since I installed it.
what’s not to like about Bouygues 
But, I know what you mean… if there is some commonality in the numbers used for these calls - the first “n” number of digits for example, then your phone software should allow you exclude them. So, you can as an example block all calls from say Paris or Nigeria but mobiles may present a problem. Just block that number as shown from the call history. I don’t think there is a limit on the number of blocked numbers and the facility is phone related rather than provider.
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I signed up to bloctel early on and I’ve found it to be excellent. The only callers I get now are a steady stream of SFR, who are my service provider for mobile and landline. I recorded a special answerphone message for them on the landline, (no one else calls me on it anymore), and they have stopped… 🤷😊
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