Orange kills its best application to make it pay

We all feel a little pang in our hearts when an application we like changes considerably. But when this application is also an effective tool to fight against unwanted calls, it’s downright annoying. However, this is what is happening with Orange Telephone, which the operator has decided to transform into a paid option.

If you are tired of unwanted calls, you may have already heard of the Orange Telephone application. And if not, know that it was a bit like the Rolls-Royce of call blockers.

How it works ?

Contrary to what its name might suggest, Orange Telephone does not only work with Orange subscribers. The application was in fact linked to the database of Orange, formerly France Télécom, which allowed it to identify a large number of caller numbers. And if a number was not identified, the application could still block it using its various filters.

The application also takes into account “Arcep number ranges”, implemented in January 2023?

All calls that start with the following numbers are blocked. Numbers which are potentially misleading since they almost all begin with the geographical indicator of where the calls are coming from:

• 01 62 and 01 63
• 02 70 and 02 71
• 03 77 and 03 78
• 04 24 and 04 25
• 05 68 and 05 69
• 09 37, 09 38 and 09 39

But the real strength of Orange Telephone was its community dimension. In fact, each user could report an unwanted number, which was then added to a common database. Result: the more users there were, the more effective the application was.

Why did Orange decide to remove it?

Unfortunately, Orange has decided to put an end to automatic call blocking through Orange Telephone. Why such a decision ? Officially, the operator explains that this will “better protect” users. But in fact, it coincides with the launch ofa new paid option at 7 euros/month for Orange customerswhich notably offers to block unwanted calls.

In other words, Orange has simply decided to transform its best free call blocker into a paid option. A decision which does not fail to raise eyebrows, especially since the fight against unwanted calls is a major social issue.

What alternatives?

If you are an Orange Telephone user and are looking for an alternative, know that there are many call blocking applications on the market. Some are free, others pay, and their functionality may vary.

However, none of these applications have Orange’s database, which may limit their effectiveness. In addition, the community dimension of Orange Telephone was a real plus, which is not necessarily offered by other applications.

We can recommend Truecaller, for example,