What is the meaning of number barred?

Number barred in telecommunications is a service feature whereby a telephone company prevents telephone calls from being connected to a specified telephone line. Calls attempts from the barred number will be either disconnected upon dialing, or will receive a message indicating that the number has been barred.

Number barring is typically implemented to prevent people who have excessive debt from making further calls. It can also be used to prevent certain types of calls from being made, such as international calls or calls to toll-free numbers and premium-rate numbers.

Number barring can be applied by the telephone company at the request of the account holder, or by a court order. In some cases, a telephone company may barred number without providing a reason.