@DorianKelly wrote:
These are all very very helpful answer thank you all so much. It’s a bit of an insurmountable problem because if the incompatibility i see between BT and virgin systems.
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What is the make and model number of your existing phone setup?
If you have a well-established mixed use home/business number which is well-publicised then your problem does, indeed, go beyond unwanted text calls.
Changing your number is not necessarily a good solution IMO as any 'new' number you get will just come from a pool of recycled numbers belonging to VM. It may come with its own history of problems and may possibly make your situation no better or possibly worse.
I use this device on my line
https://www.truecall.co.uk/category-s/116.htm
and have received no spam/scam calls on my line since installing it. You can download the manual here to see how it works
http://www.truecall38.co.uk/manuals/callblocker.pdf
it is highly customisable to filter calls. Check out the info on 'Advanced Do Not Disturb' on page 11. Not something I have had to use myself but looks like it might fit your requirements. You may need to subscribe to the optional weblink feature (£20 per year after year 1) to have all of those full DND features available though with customisable time slots. Looks as if the basic free configuration gives you a default 8 hours of DND once activated before the unit reverts to a normal screening pattern.
If you already have a cordless setup you are happy with, you can add the trueCall unit to that. The trueCall plugs into the master socket, the cordless base station plugs into the trueCall and that way all calls are screened. I use the trueCall as the answering machine and that keeps messages within the screening process as well.
Approved callers, whose numbers are logged in the device, get through immediately without screening under normal circumstances. If you have DND mode enabled approved callers are given a voice prompt to press a key on the keypad to break through the DND time which should allow your vulnerable callers to still contact you, assuming they would not be confused by the extra button-press instruction.
Depending on how you set it up though, the trueCall would probably screen out and prevent all text messages getting through as they would not be able to respond to the requirement to press a key to break through the screening process. That might just be a necessary trade-off to eliminate the night time nuisance calls.
Further description in detail from a topic last week below inc. details of my own setup to screen out nuisance calls
https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Landline-call-blocking-amp-caller-ID/m-p/4878339