BT's anonymous calls policy

Question

First let me state my opinion on anonymous calls:
Imagine if a heavily disguised person approached your front door, wearing a balaclava, trenchcoat and dark sunglasses, then spoke to you through a voice disguiser, and demanded access to your home, whilst refusing to identify himself.
Would you let him in?
No? Then why would you answer an anonymous call (withheld number)?
AFAIAC anonymous calls are profoundly immoral, totally unjustifiable, and potentially dangerous (scams, stalking, etc.), so why are they not only tolerated, but actually encouraged by BT? I fail to understand why such a sinister thing is even legal in Britain.
So I find it rather perplexing that BT should not only offer this service at all, but actually encourage potential stalkers and scammers with this service for free, whilst incredibly charging the potential victims for the privilege of being protected against this abuse (Anonymous Caller Reject service), at the rate of £16 per quarter plus VAT.
I find this policy completely backwards and morally bankrupt.
Can anyone justify it?

Answer 1

Thanks, but like every other BT customer, I already have Caller Display, since this is now a standard (and free) calling feature on all lines.
It doesn't help though, since the message "Withheld Number" doesn't actually tell me who is withholding that number (obviously), and thus doesn't help me in the slightest to make an informed decision about whether or not to answer the call. Is it a wrong number? Is it a scammer? Is it a friend, who just so happens to misguidedly withhold his number? I have no idea, and absolutely no way to tell.
This is why I use the "Anonymous Caller Reject" service, because it lets the caller know their call has been blocked, and the only way it's going to be accepted is if they allow their number to be seen.
However, this doesn't help much with so-called "Out of Area" calls - calls which are (or pretend to be) from outside BT's network, and whose local network does not forward (or deliberately withholds) CLI (Caller Line Identification) data. Apparently this also includes at least one of BT's own services ("Fixed Text"), which dubiously informs landline owners by automated recording that someone mistakenly tried sending an SMS message to their landline.
Why one of BT's own services is not on their own network (or pretends as much) is quite a mystery. To most people, the endlessly persistent calls from this automated service will be nothing more than a source of curiosity and irritation. To people, like me, who are carpet-bombed by anonymous and "Out of Area" calls, many of which are from criminal groups operating fake lottery syndicates, BT's "Out of Area" calls only further contribute to the terror, despair, and feeling of helplessness. The British police seem just as helpless in the face of these foreign gangs, and quite apathetic with it.
This is just one of the reasons why people need BT's help to protect their privacy and safety. But instead, BT seem to actually be making it easy for their customers to be harassed, or scammed, or worse, to the point where even BT themselves are using "Out of Area" networks (or perhaps just spoofing it) for their own services.
This is what I believe BT and/or Ofcom should be doing to protect British landline (and even mobile) users:
Anonymous calling should be banned outright. End of discussion.
Ditto for fake "Presentation Numbers", which are just as sinister, and worse - deceptive (foreign callers appear to be calling from within the UK)
"Out of Area" calls (real or otherwise) should be classified as anonymous for call screening purposes, and customers should be given the option to block such calls at exchange level. And not have to pay for the privilege.
Meanwhile, Ofcom should give all other networks a deadline by which they must start forwarding accurate CLI data to BT's network, after which time such calls will simply be blocked at the primary/international exchanges. This CLI data must also be verifiable and resolve to the actual line making the call (i.e. not a deceptive "Presentation Number").
The UK government needs to introduce tougher legislation to deal with deceptive and/or clandestine calling practises, against both the perpetrators and those complicit with their behaviour.
Anonymous calls, "Out of Area" calls, and false "Presentation Numbers" are completely unnecessary, unjustifiable, profoundly unethical, sinister, and an actual threat to our safety and privacy, and as such should be banned and criminalised.
Anyone who feels this is an extreme view, is welcome to swap their telephone number with mine, and deal with the consequences.