Caller ID
Caller ID (Caller Identity Display or CID) is a telephony network service that transmits the caller's telephone number to the called party's telephone equipment during the ringing signal or when the call is being set up but before the call is answered. Typically, CID is transmitted digitally between the first and second rings.
Caller ID is also known as Calling Line Identification (CLI) when provided via an ISDN connection to a PABX, while in the UK, the terms Caller Display and Calling Line Identity (CLID) are used. CID originated with automatic number identification (ANI) in the U.S.
Subscribers can prevent their numbers from being displayed, or "blocked", by dialing a special code before making a call. This means that equipment with with Caller ID will simply display the word 'PRIVATE' or 'WITHHELD'. Alternatively, Caller ID can be blocked permanently, and can only be released on a call-by-call basis by dialing a special code. This is the case in some countries with people who choose not to be listed in the local telephone directory. Similarly, there is a service known as anonymous caller rejection, meaning that calls made from a line in which the subscriber's number is blocked, will not be accepted. Some telephone companies also route anonymous calls to a service which requires the caller to announce him or her self, and then requires the called party to accept or reject the call.
Generally, Caller ID between different countries is not transmitted, meaning that the equipment with with Caller ID will simply display either 'UNAVAILABLE' or 'INTERNATIONAL'. However, Caller ID between countries is becoming more widely available, meaning that a telephone number in another country will be displayed, complete with the country calling code.
Telemarketing organisations often block the display of their calling numbers. Some states and countries require telemarketers to display a contact number that can accept complaints, as the individual caller numbers may not be able to be called. In the UK it is mandatory for the telco to offer customers the option of barring all anonymous incoming calls.
Many Internet service providers (ISPs) providing dial-up access require the customer to use CLI to prevent abuse of the account by unauthorised callers.
Digital (2G and 3G) mobile phones have incoming CID, but often with no name. Calls from mobile numbers often show the city or metro area to which the phone is registered, rather than the caller or current location.
Type II caller ID also works with call waiting.
See also
- The inverse feature, giving the number originally dialed, is known as Direct Inward Dialing (DID), Direct Dialing Inward (DDI), or Dialed Number Identification System (DNIS). This tells the PBX where to route an incoming call, when there are more internal lines with external phone numbers than there are actual incoming lines in a large company or other organisation.
- list of telephony terminology
- This is not to be confused with Microsoft Caller-ID, a patent encumbered anti-spam technology. Microsoft Caller-ID has been merged with SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and the combined technology named 'Sender-ID'. The acceptance of Sender-ID is in doubt because of Microsoft's patents on the Caller-ID portion.
