Pac Bell: Buzz Through or Buzz Off

For the person who only wants to talk to some of the people some of the time, Pacific Bell has introduced a call-blocking service called “Do Not Disturb.”

The service allows customers to block calls from people who don’t know a prearranged four-letter password. If callers know the password, the call goes through. If not, they’re told to call back later or leave a message at the beep.

“Participants use their home phones to change their password and turn the service on or off just as often as they like,” said Jennifer Brunn of Pacific Bell.

The company is currently letting about 200 customers in Southern California try the service out for free as part of a trial. If the trial goes as expected, Pacific Bell plans to offer “Do Not Disturb” for about $3.50 to $4.00 a month.