Call Barring lets you stop certain types of calls from being made from your home phone. You can also use it to bar all incoming calls.
This feature is inclusive for Digital Voice and Home Phone Standard customers, except for Pay as you go calling plans.
For Digital Voice you can Add or remove Calling Features online.
For Home Phone Standard, if you'd like to add, remove or manage your call barring service, just give us a call.
How do I use Call Barring?
Bar all incoming calls
Activate: *261# (star, 2, 6, 1, hash)
Cancel: #261# (hash, 2, 6, 1, hash)
Check status: *#261# (star, hash, 2, 6, 1, hash)
Bar outgoing calls
Activate: *34code# (star, 3, 4, code, hash)
Cancel: #34code*PIN# (hash, 3, 4, code, star, PIN, hash)
Check status: *#34# (star, hash, 3, 4, hash)
Outgoing call barring codes
Code 1: Bars almost all outgoing calls, including Voicemail (1571). Removing this barring option will also remove any other outgoing call bars you've set.
Code 2: Bars calls to UK mobile numbers, national and international numbers.*
Code 3: Bars international calls only.*
Code 4: Bars operator-assisted services, including 118 500, BT Text (SMS) and BT Text Direct (18001 and 18002).
Code 5: Bars calls to numbers containing a * or #. This includes some Calling Features but still allows you to cancel this barring option.
Code 7: Bars calls to Premium Rate numbers.
* Important: On some exchanges, Codes 2 and 3 may also block Premium Rate numbers. If this happens and you'd like Premium Rate calls restored, call 0330 123 4150.
If you have a fibre phone service, Code 2 blocks calls to international numbers, UK mobiles and Premium Rate numbers.
Calls made to 1571 can be barred using Code 1 because accessing voicemail may result in a charge. Please note that calls can still be made through an operator unless you also enable Code 4.
Calls that are never barred
- 999 Emergency services
- 112 Emergency services
- 150 BT residential customer services
- 151 BT residential fault reporting
- 152 BT business customer services
- 154 BT Business fault reporting
- 144 BT chargecard
- 0800 free numbers
- 0500 free numbers
You can still accept reverse-charge calls even when you have call barring enabled on your phone. You and others in your household can connect to barred calls via the operator unless you have used code 4.
Set up premium rate number barring
Contact us at 0330 123 4150 to stop your phone from calling premium-rate numbers.
It doesn't cost anything. You can cancel at any time.
Call charges
Check how much calls to 09, 09 and 118 numbers cost (PDF).
Our Calling Features guide provides instructions for using it.
Download the BT calling features user guide (PDF).