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I'm curious how it works technically. I thought Apple did not allow Apps access to the phone functionality.

• davidajackson 7y ago
  It doesn't need to have access to Apple's functionality. Try pulling out your phone and dialing *72 followed by another number. It will forward your device calls to the number you dial. That's the key here. You forward your device number to CallStop, which uses VOIP Pushkit to receive calls. In that way, each CallStop user can set code level rules on who can reach them and when. It's like a firewall for phone calls. Here's a sample number you can call to try this out: 650-300-0574 You should be able to get a good idea of how the service works by selecting different options when calling it. Try pressing 1 and check out the text you get to add a whitelisting note, or 2 and try entering a PIN. CallStop users get push notifications for whitelist requests and rejected calls. One of the cool implications if a service like this is adopted is that phone numbers for anyone can be public and it will no longer matter.
  • NonEUCitizen 7y ago
    Will *72 forward SMS messages as well?
    • jlgaddis 7y ago
      No. It's "call forwarding".
    • davidajackson 7y ago
      No, just phone calls. With CallStop: You receive incoming calls through CallStop. You can make outgoing calls as normal through the Apple app, and also I've added outgoing calling functionality into CallStop. Texts are not forwarded, though this is something I'm researching for future features. Text spam is the second thing to eliminate here.