Tech

A new, free Sprint app is here to help you stop spam calls

65B

Total estimated spam calls in the U.S. in 2019, per Sprint

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Say goodbye to spam calls and robo-callers. Sprint has introduced a new app that identifies the names of callers, even those not saved in your contacts. Called Sprint Call Screener, the new service is free and allows users to identify and automatically block numbers associated with fraudulent calls.

It couldn’t have come at a better time — Spam and robocalls have gotten out of hand – so much that they’ve become the norm. It’s refreshing to see cellphone and wireless providers taking a stance on the nuisance. Hopefully there is more to come.

“Illegal and unwanted robocalls are a real and growing problem with some estimates totaling 65 billion spam calls in 2019,’ said Doug Smith, Sprint vice president of product marketing and product innovation. The new, free service, he says, is “an easy and convenient way to combat this growing annoyance and to filter out high-risk, unwanted calls.”

There is a caveat, though — The app is free, but for those wanting even more control over their spam protections, they’ll have to subscribe to Sprint Call Screener Plus.

The additional subscription comes with a $2.99 per line additional monthly charge and a few extra features that, per Sprint, include:

  • Displays caller’s name, city and state, even those not listed in contacts
  • Shows texter’s name, even when they are not in contacts
  • Identifies, blocks, and reports additional calls that are lower-risk, but still a nuisance
  • Categorizes incoming calls as spam, robocalls or fraud calls
  • Reports an individual phone number as spam
  • Keeps history of blocked and risky numbers

For those not sold on the extra cost per month, Sprint is offering users a 10-day trial.