sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Telecom Service & Providers Caller ID question

I have encountered a situation with many of my customers, and they all agree that something needs to be done about it.

With the almost universal use of cell phones and other wired phones that all accept CID, a customer who calls out on one of his auxiliary lines sends the CID for that particular line, which may or may not be the appropriate line on which to return the call.

Incoming calls therefore may come in on a line that does not have an answering machine or answering service (after hours application) or even on a fax line that the customer used as an expedient when all the voice lines were in use.

People using cell phones, in particular, just hit "reply" or whatever it's called, to return a missed call. This can be confusing at best, and may cause lost calls, at worst.

I need to know if there is any way to get a local service provider to send the CID of the main number on all trunks associated with that main number. While it is obviously not a good idea, and illegal, to allow a customer to spoof or fake a CID, it seems to me that with the proper authorization and bonafide credentials, an arrangement could be made with the provider to send the CID of the main listed number on any other line that the customer owns.

Does anyone know if this has ever been addressed in tariffs, or in any negotiations with a state public utility board? It seems like it could be great help to the industry in general if this were to be allowed.

Arthur -

I believe it can be (and is) done on PRI spans, but I don't know of anyone who's doing it on Analog circuits.I could see it becoming a logistical nightmare with people adding and dropping lines and the caller ID info not being updated.

Sam

Well, the administrative problems of disconnected numbers could be worked out easily, I think. Once a line is returned to the pool of unused numbers, its CID would default, through software, to its own number, ready to be reassigned to a new customer.

When a new number is added to an existing customer's account, the provider could simply give a choice to the customer if they want the new line to be identified with the MLN.

It would take a little getting used to, just like any other facet of the ever-changing wacky world of phones, but it wouldn't be an insurmountable problem, considering the benefits.

How do really big companies (without PRI) deal with the problem?

I agree it would be easy.

Easy if you or I ran the world. But the current day phone companies?

Sam

I suppose in the case of my customer with one listed number and two aux numbers, I could enable CO VM with a recording, after 4 rings, that directs callers to hang up and call the main number, but some callers would find that to be a PITA, I'm sure.

why not just add call forwarding to the "back lines " and forward them to the main number then put telco VM on the main number in case it's busy

I thought that was being done even on analog circuits as long as they were in a hunt group at the CO level. Always showing the BTN as the caller ID. Now with fax lines thats somewhat a different story. Usually they are not a part of the incoming line hunt group however some customers use a line-share device to be able to use the fax line to make voice calls. Being that the fax number isnt part of the incoming hunt group, it will show its own caller ID.

I like the idea of using Call Forwarding on the lines. Of course, if they are primarily used by a fax or modem, then all bets are off.

In WI, old GTE areas give out the lead number of the hunt group. As a technician, I get the opposite problem when trying to troubleshoot lines. All lines give CID of the lead number.

In KS, at least, SWB TRUNK groups that are "Terminal" type hunt groups are like rickingb described. Same CID from all, with Terminals assigned to the published number. And as he says, a pain in the posterior to troubleshoot and/or turn over to telco when problem is theirs. On every hotel we took over, or when it became apparent that the labels were either inaccurate or just plain not there, we would request a relabel of the demarc and set a meet to do it. It just seemed easier if there were 2 working on it and I'm a firm believer in trying to maintain a good relationship with the outside plant guys. They tend to remember the folk(s) that help them out, as opposed to the ones that throw 'em under the bus when it's not their fault.