Call guardians and nuisance call blockers can stop CareCalls from reaching a landline or mobile — callers must announce themselves and press a key before the phone rings. If that screening is on the line that receives reminders and check-ins, you must allow the CareCalls delivery number through, or phone deliveries will fail.

This guide covers the repeat reminder and check-in service and one-off phone reminders. It does not apply to text-only delivery or live professional calls.

Which number must be allowed?

CareCalls delivers phone reminders and check-ins from a dedicated outbound number shown in the web app for your account (not your personal mobile). See which number CareCalls delivers from for how numbers are assigned and where to find yours.

  1. Open the management dashboard for the service.
  2. Go to delivery factors (also linked from setup notifications).
  3. Under Which contact details do we deliver from?, note the number shown for call reminders and check-ins — that is the number to whitelist or test.
  4. Use Add contact to your phone on that page if offered — saving the number as a contact helps some handsets recognise trusted callers.
  5. On the same page, set how long the phone should ring before CareCalls gives up — see phone ring time if voicemail might answer first.

If you are still setting up, you will reach delivery factors after the main signup steps when the service uses phone delivery.

Option 1: Allow the number on the phone or line

Configure the handset or network call guardian so the CareCalls delivery number is on an allow list, trusted list, or whitelist (wording varies by provider).

You need the device or line that receives the reminders and check-ins — usually the call receiver’s home phone or mobile, not the phone you use to manage the service online.

Common UK providers and devices

Provider / productWhere to find help
BT Call GuardianBT phone user guides — look for trusted or allowed numbers
TalkTalk CallSafeTalkTalk CallSafe article
Sky Talk ShieldSky Talk Shield star and block lists
TrueCall deviceTrueCall control panel or device instructions from the manufacturer

Steps differ by model. In every case you are adding the CareCalls delivery number from delivery factors so screened calls from that number can ring through without being blocked.

After saving settings, test with the steps in test your setup below.

Option 2: Remote setup via the inbound diagnosis line

Use this when someone cannot change the blocker settings easily on the device, but the blocker remembers callers that have been accepted once (so a successful test call can “teach” the line to allow CareCalls later).

This uses CareCalls’ inbound diagnosis phone menu. When you call in, the system checks that support has registered a short-lived permission for your requester number and the blocked line before it connects you.

Before you call — arrange access with CareCalls

Permissions are not automatic. Support must register an inbound diagnosis permission for:

  • Requester phone — the number you will call from (must not be the blocked handset itself).
  • Diagnosis phone — the call receiver’s number that has the call blocker (the line CareCalls delivers to).

Each permission has an expiry date and a limited number of uses (typically a small number of attempts). If the line, expiry, or use count does not match what support set up, the menu will not connect you.

Contact us with:

  • The diagnosis phone (blocked line),
  • The requester phone you will call from,
  • When you plan to run the test,

and we will confirm when permission is active and what to enter at the voice menu (including any access code the menu asks for).

Call steps (after permission is active)

  1. From your requester phone (not the blocked handset), call the CareCalls delivery number for your account — the same number shown on delivery factors.
  2. Follow the voice menu for inbound diagnosis (the menu may ask you to press 5 to start diagnosis — follow the live prompts).
  3. When asked, enter the access details CareCalls support gave you, then enter the diagnosis phone number (the blocked line) carefully.
  4. If permission is valid, the system connects you to that line. Listen to the call blocker’s prompts on the far end and complete whatever it asks (for example announce your name and press a key) so the call is accepted.
  5. Ask the call receiver to answer if they can. Once they have answered you, the teach-through attempt is complete.
  6. Run the demo or live test below to confirm CareCalls deliveries can ring through.

Limits to know:

  • The requester number must match the permission; the diagnosis number must match exactly.
  • Expired permissions or too many previous uses will block the connection — contact support to renew if needed.
  • This path sets up immediate teach-through only; it does not replace adding a future pause or start date online (see edit, pause, or cancel).

Confirm in the web app

On delivery factors, for phone services, answer the call blocker question honestly:

  • No call blocker, or
  • Has a call blocker and I have bypassed it as instructed (after option 1 or 2).

Saving delivery factors also clears the related deliverability notification on the dashboard when everything is in order. See what can delay the first delivery if reminders still do not start.

Test that reminders can get through

The quickest check is a demo delivery to the same number:

  1. Go to try a free demo.
  2. Choose a test message and submit the form for the phone number that receives the service.
  3. Confirm the phone rings and can be answered (or that screening allows the CareCalls delivery number through).

If the demo fails, recheck the whitelist or repeat inbound diagnosis with support, then contact us.

United States

Provider-specific whitelist guides for the US are being added. The same principles apply: allow the CareCalls delivery number from delivery factors, or ask support to enable inbound diagnosis for a remote teach-through test.