We recently cut over a medium-sized hospital to a new system with three PRI's from their previous Centrex service. That was actually the easy part.

The problem we are having now is that Verizon is sending the BTN (billing telephone number) outgoing calls (XXX-XXX-2429) as their caller ID. This is a ficticious number that can't be dialed instead of than the main number for the hospital which is one of their DID's (XXX-XXX-2000).

Our switch has the ability to send any number we want as the CPDN (calling party directory number) and it's configured to do this, but Verizon has not opened up the ability for us to send this information in their switch programming. We have asked them for this at least five times and they claim that it has been done, but it hasn't.

Their switch is a 5ESS with 5E9 software. Usually when we have PRI's from CLECs, they have DMS offices and this ability is there from the get-go. Even CLECs using 5ESS switches allow us this capability. It's just PRI's that we get from Verizon where we have this problem.

What I need to know is does anyone know what Bell Atlantic calls this feature? Even though they are technically called Verizon, they still operate under the Bell Atlantic policies. This blocking has to be something to do with their default programming on a company basis, not due to the limitations of the 5ESS switch itself. I know it can be done, but I don't know what they call it so that their business office will understand what I am looking for.

At present, the phone number that's displayed for the hospital's outgoing calls is their "fake" BTN which is not even a working number. People see it on their caller ID and try to call it back, but they just get a recording.

Any ideas on what I should be asking for?

:shrug:

I'd PM the lady at Auditel in the Telephone service forum. She may some insight into the terms Verizon uses. WE just always tell the LEC and CLECs that the customer premise equipment will modify outbound caller ID and that's been good enough in the SBC/AT&T region.

I had the same problem with a POTS-to-PRI cutover I did for US Courts. Their carrier was TDS Metrocom. I do not recall exactly what the problem was or how they fixed it, but it did take them awhile before someone figured it out.

The feature that lets the PBX populate outbound Caller ID is "Calling Party Number Screening"
Mike

Some carriers require that the number you are trying to insert be setup as a BTN. Usually you can have more then one BTN in an account. Often billing rules are tied to this number, such as class of service on PRI’s. Alot depends on how the carrier has their switch setup.

EV what brand/type of PBX did you install in the medium size hospital that you are having caller id problems on ? Is the number displayed on the called party ID the BTN ?

One fast letter from an attorney pointing out the fact that number will not be answered in an emergency and holding them fully responsible as of the date/time of the receipt of the letter will get somebody at Verizon moving their ass very fast.

Have it sent certified mail/return receipt. They hate those.

Why should you jump through hoops for the idiots at Verizon?

What was wrong in the brain that chose Verizon for PRI circuits?

Good Grief Charlie Brown, you never use a LEC if you can avoid it.

Bunnie, it was the customer's choice to go with Verizon, certainly not ours. We tried dilligently to get them to go with a much less expensive plan with a CLEC but they wouldn't budge on their decision. They are starting to think about it now after all the trouble they have had with them.

OBTW: Yes, the BTN is what is being displayed to the called party. We have our switch configured to send the correct number (it's a Vodavi XTS600).

Ed, have you tried telling Verizon to simply switch the number to XXX-XXX-2429? At least it would get the CID to be an actual working number.

Then, if needed, you could try later to get them to CPDN working. BTW, Norstar refers to this as OLI. (Maybe someone speaks Nortel at Verizon.)

Good luck!
Larry

No, Larry I have not. The 2429 number is the BTN and isn't physically a working number. I would be happy to get them to change it to anything else, but it's falling upon deaf ears at this point. It looks like we are going to have to escalate this to the next level, which is ridiculous. It's such a simple request.

Sorry Ed, I meant xxx-xxx-2020. I would think that they should be able to understand that. But, I can't say this surprises me with the telco.

If only it were a VoIP system :shhh:

Ed,
It sounds like vrz is overriding what your are senidng (CPN DISC SET TO Y in the 5e) vrz should be able to pass whatever you are sending them, they need to set their switch for CPNPREF and verify that the CPN DISC is set to n. You may also need to verify you are marking the calls the way they want to see them. IE national, unknown, international, etc.
If they say they are passing what you send ask them to run a d-chan trap so they can show you what is being given to them.

Thanks, "Antnee". I thought about contacting you directly about this when I saw that you had switch experience. I just called the business office contact at VZ and she verified that CPN DISC was set to Y, so I told her to change it to N. We will see what happens!

ED good luck with verizon I am surprised you were able to get someone to even look in their switch. check your mail sent you some basic translation info

We've never had a problem getting Verizon to do this in Northern VA, but we have discovered that both the CO switch and our switch (usually Inter-Tel Axxess) must be set to NI2. Even with a 5ESS, I've had one case where the 5E Custom setting, verified at both ends, didn't work, and without changing anything else, got it to start working just by changing both ends to NI2. Also had a Verizon person (not a CO tech, but familiar with provisioning) tell me recently that they don't think it works with anything other than NI2 at both ends.

I have had it work with 5e Custom but with problems mostley with smaller carriers not passing the data. I have not had much trouble if any with NI2

I agree with IDS. As far as I have seen also...only works with NI2 at both ends.

I was talking with one of my DMS techs here and basically Inbound called id will work with 5e custom or NI2 within a DMS switch. If you are using 5Ecustom you will not receive the name info just the number on inbound calls. NI2 will allow you to receive name and number. Outbound will work with both NI2 and 5e Custom. Though NI2 seems to be the preferred method.

Within the 5E world I see mostly NI2 with a national dialing plan, but have not had much trouble with 5e custom. Occasionally I will run into an issue with a smaller carrier (usually wireless) not passing the cnam info, it usually turns out that the call is not being marked as national (it is being sent as unknown) and the carrier just bounces the cnam info, or it hits a multi frequency hunt group which will not pass the info. I find that when a cid issue is reported it is usually switch translation not properly set up or improper info being sent from the cpe. Protocol usually does not play much of a role.

Either way I have had success using both NI2 and 5e custom protocol with CID

ummm multi frequency trunk group not hunt group...sorry

ed,

I've ran into this everytime i put a Verizon PRI in. and it was always them. i have a verizon special cicuits phone number that every time i have trouble i call it and they are very helpful.
if you would like it i can email it to you, i would think it would work for your area.