Any software alternative to PhoneTray?

Relax, this is not a program with a high learning curve. A user manual-slash-help doc is available through the program interface and also in whatever directory you installed the software, file name "PhoneTray.chm". For the former method in v1.37 and likely 1.39, a right click to the teensy taskbar icon should open a small menu. "Restore Phonetray" will be the topmost item and the only one in bold.

Understand that it would be unfair to other users of any call blocking system if straight from the box it always decided on its own which calls to admit or deny passage. The help doc tells you that "PhoneTray will display, announce and log incoming calls without any additional configuration". It's not doing anything more without your intervention.

PhoneTray is a "rules-based" system, much like call management features common to VOIP accounts. You have to tell the program how to handle a given phone call according to some part of its Caller ID. You set a "rule" or set of instructions to be executed when PT sees, for example, "987-654-3210", or "Credit Services" from an inbound call. Several kinds and combinations of responses are possible, not just blocking and whitelisting. Experiment and enjoy.

I <cough> know what you mean! <cough>

Phonetray seems to be down. Does anyone know a a similar program software???????

Did you happen read any of the other posts?

Ya know, I've been using Phone Tray for over 1 1/2 years.  It's been running on Win/7, Win/8, Win/8.1, and now Win/10.  It is FLAWLESS!!!  I have read what some have/are saying, and I totally DISAGREE.  Free is good to try something.  But if you are not willing to pay $20/year for a piece of software that gives you the peace-of-mind that Phone Tray does ... I don't know what to say.  I happily pay their invoices every year I get them.

So far as my "stats" are concerned, here they are:
For the period 5/15/2014 to 9/19/2015 (16+ months of phone calls):
         2.274 total number of calls were received in this period.
         1,276 were or have been blocked = 56.1% were BLOCKED!!!
            998 were normal, accepted calls = 43.9% were accepted calls.

The actual data is easily extracted from the Call Record shown on the main screen.  Paste that into a Spreadsheet, and you can do the same thing I have done only for your statistics.

Try some of the other Phone Blocking "JUNK" that is available.  You'll see.  You'll come back to Phone Tray!!!  Oh, and I am on v2.4.1, the latest version.

Let me start by saying that your post reads a lot like a subtle advertisement by a company shill.

When Sir Bedevere made his post over two years ago (yes, you are responding to an old post) he was looking for a possible alternative in case he could not resolve a problem he was having with Phone Tray Free (PTF).  He also pointed out that at that time he could not get Phone Tray Pro (PTP) to work either.

In subsequent posts, he informed us that he had resolved the problem and that it was not directly related to PTF.  He also informed us that he did not like PTP's requirement that it be allowed to "phone home" in order to install.  In his eyes, he saw that as a critical flaw.

I have been using PTF for over three years now and have been quite satisfied with it.  It has done what it was touted to do and it fulfills my needs.  When I downloaded and installed it, there was no price being asked for it and no termination date associated with it.  I can continue to run it as long as I wish.  I have not seen any features offered in PTP that I "cannot live without" and actually I view its requirement for an internet connection and its now requiring .NET (in the latest version) to actually be negative aspects in running it.

You say. "But if you are not willing to pay $20/year for a piece of software that gives you the peace-of-mind that Phone Tray does ... I don't know what to say."  I know what I would say:
If you see PTP as the greatest thing since the invention of sliced bread and are willing to pay for it; then continue to use it, I will not try to stop or dissuade you.  Just do not think that others should necessarily follow in your steps.  Software is NOT bad JUST because it is free, there is a lot if software out there WITH a price tag that would be overpriced even if it were offered for free.  For myself, if a software program does what I need it to do and is free, I have no problem with that.  If I have to pay to get the functionality I need, I am fine with that also.  In either case, I will continue to use that software for however long it still supports my needs.  I am still keeping track of my finances with a copy of Quicken Deluxe 98 that I purchased years ago.  It still works, so I see no need to replace it.  Moreover, it does not nag me every three years to buy the latest version because it will not be able to read the monthly files from financial institutions after a cripple date that has been programmed into it.
I do not run out to buy the "latest and greatest", and I do my research to determine if something is going to properly meet my needs before I acquire it.  Having gone through the privations of the Great Depression and WWII my family adopted a philosophy that boils down to "If it works – Keep using it, If it breaks – Fix it, If it cannot be fixed – Then you can replace it."  In my family "usable discard" is an oxymoron.

By the way, you say, "I happily pay their invoices every year I get them."  Are they actually billing you $20 a year to maintain your PTP subscription?  If so, you are being ripped off.  According to their website, the software has a one-time cost of $30 with a $10 per year (optional) subscription for updates and access to their "online anti-spam database".

Nimrod: I had bought the paid version of PT, even thought I was using the free version, to support the company for years of PTF usage. Here's what I found out from my personal use in a year:
(1) If you install it on a computer with no internet connection after about a week it won't work, since it can't 'phone home'
(2) Some of the best features of the free version were removed in the paid version. (a) A different kind of block for each individual number, not just a group & (b) the ability to keep a log of blocked calls, or not.
(3) A very simple to use, and understand GUI.
(4) Every single upgrade of PTP for the year I used it was cosmetic. They added a 'Christmas theme skin' one time. That was considered an upgrade.
MY Conclusion: You change a piece of software to make it work better, not make it look different. Remember readers- this was MY use of the paid version, and MY opinion of it. YOUR opinion may vary.

Hi All,
I have been using Phone Try for probably around 3 years.  I purchased the pro version long ago for a flat fee.  I now keep getting the notices that I must update my Pro 2.20 to 2.50 to use the new features.  However, it now costs me $10 a year on a reoccurring billing.  I hate that model and I will not pay subscriptions for something I felt like should have been covered with the price I paid for the pro especially when going from 2.2x to 2.2x.  I understand if they want to charge a 1 time 10 dollar fee to go from 2.xx to 3.0 when it comes out.

I have a couple questions: Does Anyone have any suggestions for alternatives to Phone tray that is a pay once for the program?  Also, does anyone recommend any good wave files with recordings to play for telemarketers?  I usually just the play the DTMF tone or THe number has been disconnected.   I have an [***] wave file reserved for those who keep changing numbers and cal back.

Feel free to email me if you have suggestions which wil be the name I posted with at anotheremail which ends in org.  Sorry for the cryptic way of posting it but spam bots keep getting better.

Thanks,
Dean

I have PTF installed on an unused WinXP laptop.  Works great!  However, I'd like to install it on a tablet with USB modem, so I won't leave my laptop running all day.  Considering the operating systems available today, what other OS is v1.39 compatible with?

Thank you, Badge714 for mentioning the general differences between the paid & the free version. I'm considering running FTF in a virtual machine with an external modem off the serial port.

It astounds me that they would actually remove functionality from the paid version (it's usually the other way around) and spend time & effort on useless "skins" (Ooh! Shiny!).

How do you make your USB Modem wake up faster?  I need an extra ring to make sure the CID info gets through.

You might get a good answer over at the SuperUser website : http://superuser.com/
Provide this information about the modem : manufacturer, model name, model number
Provide this information about your computer : operating system and version

In our case, the mini PC designated to run PhoneTray is also operating Blue Iris software to record our network of security cameras. Due to the 24/7 monitoring of the cams, the mini PC never goes to sleep.

I have been using PTF for about 2 years now and I like the concept and works fair. I figured out how to edit the privacy.csv file in excel which I have days of work invested...
I zap every area code from 200 to 999. Then I uncheck the local area codes that I know of. It does zap a lot of calls but recently I and getting more calls from my local area code and I am having to block individual numbers.
How are these telemarketers getting these numbers and why can't we get a list of them?

A couple features the PT I would like to see is:
1. The phone will not ring unless PT verifies the number as good.
2. The caller is greeted with a recording of a variety of instructions like for humans, press 12, otherwise the call is disconnected.
3. Weekly (Optional) updates from a database that collects known spam callers

I am thinking of blocking all numbers except family and friends but I know that will take many hours if not days.

I would pay for that. What I am using is a good starting point but seems like the company has dropped it? May know something we don't?

Anyone out there with any ideas that improved PT?

Telemarketers aren't getting YOUR number.  They use computers to war-dial blocks of area codes and exchanges.

Blocking all numbers except family and friends is effective...and it's called white listing.  I do it.  It shouldn't take days to set up.  Review as much of your call history as possible and start listing numbers.  Who do you call?  Who calls you?  After that, always ask potential callers for their numbers.  If you're expecting a call from an unknown number, for example, a contractor coming to your home, temporarily turn your call blocker off.