If you're on Android, you need the VettedCalls app - not because we want app installs, but because Android's built-in DND doesn't actually reject calls, it just silences the ringer. That matters more than you'd think.
What Android DND actually does
You enable Do Not Disturb with "Allow calls from contacts only." You assume non-contact calls are rejected. They're not. The call still rings on the carrier side for ~20 seconds while your phone stays silent. Only then does it hit the carrier's voicemail (or your forwarding rules).
In those 20 seconds, most callers hang up and try the next business.
What the VettedCalls app does differently
Android exposes a system-level API called CallScreeningService. A registered app can intercept inbound calls before the ringer fires and actively reject them. The carrier sees the reject signal as a busy line, which fires CFB (Call Forward Busy) instantly - your Twilio number gets the call within 1-2 seconds.
No 20-second silent ring. No caller hang-up. Real-time routing.
Installing the app
- Visit https://vettedcalls.com/app on your Android phone
- Tap the link, allow installation from browser
- Open the app, tap Activate
- Grant the Call Screening Role when Android prompts (this is a one-time system dialog)
- Grant contacts permission so your existing customers ring through
One-time carrier setup
After the app is active, dial your carrier's CFB code to point at your VettedCalls Twilio number. For AT&T/T-Mobile/most carriers: **67*YOUR_VETTEDCALLS_NUMBER#. For Verizon: *90YOUR_VETTEDCALLS_NUMBER. See our full carrier code list.
Verizon edge case
On some Verizon VoLTE configurations, programmatic call rejection doesn't always trigger CFB - it falls through to carrier voicemail. VettedCalls' app detects Verizon SIMs automatically and falls back to silence-mode, which rides out to CFNA (triggered by *71). Routing still works, just with a 20-second delay instead of 2.