Why would I want caller ID within my broadband router when I have it on my Panasonic DECT home phones and answering system, I can also bar nuisance numbers and look them up on the (who calls me.com) website. If the call shows number unavailable or international caller I don�t answer it and they soon get tired of phoning.

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/0000000000

The discussion had turned to Childline and the Samaritans, so I don't know what other countries may be able to call them, given the differences between geographic and 'routing' numbers.

As for "every telco" - I think you have misunderstood the situation somewhat. All calls route through to the service providing that call to the recipient, so only the last network needs to be able to display/log the caller ID, if it was provided.

Withheld numbers won't show if the call comes via the 'direct' route - person A calls person B with the prefix 141 (or has previously arranged for all calls to default to 'Withheld') through the public network, and the default route ends with person B's exchange, or their mobile network. BT (and I assume KC and Virgin Media) accept the request to 'withhold' the number and it doesn't get passed on from the last exchange (but is available there, for logging purposes, such as for nuisance calls).

If person A calls a number which is provided by a service company (whether that number is geographic, or an 03xxx or 08, 09 {and possibly 070, and even to a mobile!}) then that company, routing the call to a recipient (such as myself, renting an 0800, or 03xxx, or 020, or 0131, etc), may offer person B the option of using CLI. I am sure it will depend on a company by company basis (the telecomm firms providing the numbers), and may be affected by their choice of equipment, plus their ingenuity/programming expertise (for the ability to allow individual customers to set/change options concerning incoming calls).

As I'm paying for incoming calls, eg for 0800 (and for the others too, even geographic numbers), then it seems fair to me that I know the number of the caller, and can decide whether I answer or not (esp if someone has been making nuisance calls to my business number). In the past, calls may have cost as much as 8p/min (and can still cost more than that if routed to a mobile, or abroad), so it was perhaps demanded by past customers.

Even ringing a geographic (01/02) number may mean the call ends up the other side of the country and has CLI presented, if the number dialled was obtained via a service provider which gives the 'show CLI' option. It could equally end up (via VoIP) on a mobile, again with the number presented, whether the caller used 141 or not. Costs vary depending on the delivery method (where VoIP might be free, but obviously any 0800/0808/0500 call has some cost to the recipient, even if a really low cost method for delivery is used, and monthly fees may be charged on top, whether calls are made or not.

Edited by deleted (Sun 17-Nov-13 19:33:58)

I'm confused - are you saying that a call with CLI withheld can have the CLI exposed subsequently if passed via a 3rd party ?

In reply to a post by yarwell:

... a call with CLI withheld can have the CLI exposed subsequently if passed via a 3rd party ?

Indeed. The CLI isn't "lost" at any point, but in general, the final (BT) exchange does not transmit the number, just sends the recipient the flag for "Withheld" and the display shows that instead of a number. Isn't /wasn't there an odd parallel with ISDN where a caller can find out the final destination number even after dialling an 0800, for example...

If you call one of the numbers I rent (and perhaps hundreds of others, depending on other telecomm firms) then whether you prefix with 141 or not, the CLI is provided (*), since the call has been routed via something other than a "public" exchange on its way to my mobile/ landline/ VoIP. The number appears in reports as well as on a phone display, and as I get all calls recorded, also appears with the recording in my GMail account, so even if a report was inaccessible (due to server maintenance) the details would still be easy to review.

(*) I cannot be sure these are all options, but remember: (a) caller's number or (b) called number

Edited by deleted (Sun 17-Nov-13 21:16:43)

thanks,

I thought the flag was set to explain the lack of number in the data fields, rather than being a "please do not share" flag.

I'm guessing but assumed 'Unknown' would be flagged somewhere along the way if no CLI was forthcoming... not sure if it was UAX (?) exchanges that didn't generate CLI or something else (an office based PBX) but I still get 'we do not have the callers number' from time to time (ie unknown, compared with 'the caller withheld their number').

Indeed, I had two such calls only yesterday. Went to the other room to pick up phone, after it had rung perhaps 5 times, had 3-5 seconds of silence and then the other end closed the call. Bit of a mystery.

Hi there - thanks for the response! Can you think of an existing model of the standalone box you mention, or is this more of a hypothetical plan?

Thanks in advance!

Entering "Call Blocker" into Amazon will bring up a few like CPR and TrueCall

Post deleted by MrSaffron