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General discussion

Why can't my cellphone display the name/company of callers?

Mar 30, 2018 4:27PM PDT

I frequently get annoying phone calls from numbers I don't recognize to my smart phone. Some of these calls are legitimate from large companies like CVS and companies I do business withm but the shown display only shows the phone digits so I don't answer. Why can't large companies place their names on the phone instead of just a phone number? What percentage of cell phone users still use non-smart phones at this point? Thanks.

--Submitted by Phil R.

Discussion is locked

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T-Mobile had real name and number caller Id small cost added
Apr 6, 2018 6:25PM PDT

On some phones for a couple of dollars I had real caller id added not just phone memory id's

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ID apps
Apr 6, 2018 6:34PM PDT

I've been using HIYA for a couple years now, and it does a nice job. As far as I'm concerned, if I can't ID your call, I won't answer my cell. I don't sweat thinking "it might be someone wanting to buy something from me," as those folks are already in my contacts.

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Calling name operation
Apr 6, 2018 6:48PM PDT

As far as I can remember from my Telco ss7 there are databases used in landline technology that each network subscribes to process cname, those are called the CNAM database. Access is based on subscription. The actual name displayed comes from a database lookup. This is a cost for each dip into the local or regional databases. Google CNAM databases for further details and understanding.

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CND or Caller Name Display
Apr 6, 2018 7:04PM PDT

Very simple answer, you didn't pay for it.
Long answer, both the phone number and CND are not guaranteed to be accurate or real. Both were add-ons to the original PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). They are things the originating company can choose to send or not. CND requires a database lookup, and either the originating company can charge for that or not send it as they desire (same with CID). Bottom line, they were invented as a revenue generating scheme by the original PSTN companies. Most cellular companies will offer it if you pay for it, but it really isn't "reliable" data.

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It can (possibly)
Apr 6, 2018 7:24PM PDT

I have full caller ID on my Verizon phone. It's an option for which I pay a few dollars a month. I get the same name data I would get on my landline. Likely, the cellular providers don't provide it by default so they can make yet another revenue stream.

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Verizon offers Caller Name ID.
Apr 6, 2018 7:42PM PDT

Verizon offers a service called Caller Name ID. Of course, it's not free (what is with Verizon?) but for $2.99 a month, I see the caller's name most of the time (sometimes it says "unknown caller" but then it's most assuredly a robocall and/or spam call) and also whether it's a suspected spam or robocaller. Of course, it doesn't stop caller ID spoofing but it does give me more than I get at home (with the rating of potential spam or robocaller)

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calling features
Apr 6, 2018 10:06PM PDT

Just a dumb question but are you paying for the display caller id feature? I believe all the phone companies charge extra for this service like the same with 3-way calling, call forwarding etc.

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Caller ID Name Missing
Apr 7, 2018 6:59AM PDT

I have Verizon and I can get caller ID for my phone for $5 a month. Thanks but no thanks! Most of my calls are from someone in my contacts list which shows on my caller ID, if not and they don't leave a message, they will be blocked which I can do with my phone. If they leave a message and I want to be able to talk to them, I just take the number they called from which is on the phone and make it into a contact so in the future they will be shown. I use Bluetooth and this connects to my Panasonic phone system, and I can answer on any handset in my home. I can also call from the handsets and it uses my Samsung S6 Mobile to make the call. My recommendation is to let the call go to the answering machine and if they do not leave a message, you probably don't want to talk to them anyway. If they call a second time without a message, they go on the blocked list.

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Try nomorobo
Apr 7, 2018 12:14PM PDT

I just signed up for “nomorobo.com” for my landline phone. It started working right away. My sister recommended it and she says it works great. I am going to try it for our cell phones and hopefully it will be just as effective. Otherwise the suggestions from others here will be helpful.

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What works for me
Apr 7, 2018 12:29PM PDT

I know this arrangement doesn't work for most of the C-Net community but it works for me.
I have a home phone number that I've had for nearly 50 years. My friends/relatives and companies that I deal with have knowledge of this number. It used to be a landline number but now is voice-only cell service.
I also have a smartphone and all the people that I know or know me are listed in the contact list. If I get a smartphone call and only a number appears on the screen I don't answer it. Like one of the previous responders said, if it's important for them to reach me they'll leave a voicemail message or call me on my home phone where I can monitor the conversation. The reason I mention my home phone is that sometimes I'll get the same phone number displayed on my smartphone multiple times. When that happens, I send a text message to that number and tell them to call me on my home phone and when they do they should give their name and a reason why they are calling. If the call is from somebody who knows me they will call on my home phone. If not, I'll never see that phone number on my smartphone again. If they knew me well enough, they would know my home phone number of 50 years!

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AT&T offers a free app, “Call Protect”
Apr 7, 2018 1:51PM PDT

Call protect for Androids & I-phones will either auto-block or will flag the caller for you as a Telemarketer, Suspected Spam, or Potential Fraud.
Since I don’t answer my cell, this app works very well for me since it kills some callers, and allows me to decide what to do with the flagged callers.

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CNAM
Apr 7, 2018 3:56PM PDT

It’s call the CNAM database that the public utilities have access to since it is regulated by the gov and is a paid service by landline telco. Cell phones are considered a private service and unfortunately the CNAM access would only increase your bill...

This is the same reason the DNC only exists for your consumer landlines, Public v. private services and regulated or not

As far as the spoof of a number is concerned when using and ISDN PRI or VOIP solution telco or hosted, You can put anything you want into the outgoing caller id using equipment and specifically name and number like IRS and Police even with their number masking the real caller

20 years @ att in wireless and wireline

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(NT) Finally the good answer!
Apr 11, 2018 1:13AM PDT
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The company I use has that feature...
Apr 7, 2018 7:17PM PDT

Hi Phill,

It's interesting why these days a lot of people are not receiving the name of the person/company who calls included in the plan. I am not promoting the company I use, but they do have the service included in my plan. It's something called "screen ID". It displays the name or company of the person who is calling me, it displays sometimes "Scam Likely" or "Telemarketing" for marketing calls, which I think they do have like a database with those numbers or they put it that way when they do not know the name. I'm just guessing...

I use MetroPCS, and I asume that T-Mobile has that service too, since their share the same network.

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It isn't just cellphones...
Apr 8, 2018 9:21AM PDT

It isn't just cellphones. I don't get names most of the time on Xfinity Voice. Sometimes I google the number, and on the rare occasion when it is a real business, I get details of the business. Usually I just get an several invitations to pay money to get the full details of the caller (hell will freeze over before I do that), often with just a map location. Cell phones are different. The only way I know to get name on a cellphone is to add the name to your contacts. You can also ask important people to text you first. Also, I now use an excel file to track for Call Blocking. Since stupid answering machines won't store call blocks on a "when full, give option to replace blocked number last used longest ago" I do it myself in a data file.

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If You Are Going to Use an App...
Apr 8, 2018 11:00AM PDT

You might want to read their policies BEFORE you click the "accept" button this time. If the app is free, especially check. Some of them will collect all of the phone numbers and send that back to the author and they will SELL that list to marketeers. So, even though the app may provide you with that service, you, friends and relatives may start to see even MORE calls coming in.

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An good question
Apr 8, 2018 5:54PM PDT

You have asked a good question! it seems like more lately that we have been getting calls on our landline, and we sometimes don't answer them! its very ware that we get calls on our cell phones. We have switch to T-Mobile. They have a app that comes per-installed on a t-mobile smartphones. that's called T-Mobile Name ID that worked well. It does not tell you if someone calls you by there cell phone. it wont list a name. it only shows the phone number they are calling from and where. but that's all. no name. but the t-mobile does list a name i think, You might also try true caller. i have try it in the past and it works well. it will tell you the company that is calling you and where it is location too! Hope this info helps!

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No name display
Apr 9, 2018 8:34AM PDT

It all depends on your provider. Some send names with the number, others don't. If a name is sent, then it usually has to be retrieved from a database match, to the number. This will incur a small charge by the company that maintains that database. In a few cases a name is "attached" to the number at the originating end. Because this costs money, sometimes only the names of callers that are also your providers customers, will show. Sometime you will just get a State/ Province, or city name based on the areacode and prefix..
Talk to your provider, they can give you the definitive answer.

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The caller ID is wrong
Apr 9, 2018 12:20PM PDT

If you got a "caller ID" from one of these companies it would be wrong anyway. Any decent phone system can spoof the number the call is coming from. I get a lot of calls from my area code because they are "local" numbers.

I've also gotten phone calls from people wanting to know why I just called them and hung up. The answer is, of course, that is wasn't me. Some dirtbag company is using MY number.

The moral of the story here is, blocking the number won't help. The next call will be from a different number.

I appreciate the info on the Apps though. I had no idea they existed. I'm going to grab a couple of them now.

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My Suggestion is to answer the Call
Apr 10, 2018 5:20AM PDT

I don't bother blocking fake and Scam calls but I prefer to actually answer the call and waste as much time with the Scammer as I possibly can. This way I feel like I have saved a few dozen others from receiving his call and maybe falling victim to the scam. I see it as a public service to others. Of course, I only do this while driving or working on computers so as to not waste my own time. I also like to hear the scammers tactics so that I can better help my clients avoid falling for these scams. I kept one guy on the phone from "Windows" for over an hour while he tried to convince me that one of my Bench Test Machines was infected and that I should pay $600 for their computer service. I really had a hard time not laughing while he showed me fake error messages and displayed the errors from my system log files. I figure I saved many others from this guy during that time. Sometimes again while I am driving or working on computers, I will keep calling the same number back until they end up blocking me. Then I might even turn off my Caller ID and call them back some more.

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I've used same tactics. it can be very fun keeping them busy
Apr 11, 2018 1:12AM PDT

Really only way to get them to stop is to make it so expensive (time) it costs more than they can reap/scam in.

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That Can Backfire Badly
Apr 11, 2018 10:16AM PDT

It might be fun (although a bit childish) to annoy the call center guy in India, but he doesn't mind. He's probably getting paid about $2.00 an hour (in his country) and he doesn't care at all. The numbers are dialed by a computer so that wasting the guys time isn't going to do anything. On top of that, remember:

HE HAS YOUR PHONE NUMBER!

He can call YOU back. You can't call him back regardless of caller ID. And, not being in the U.S., he can call you at any hour of the day or night.

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While Driving?
Apr 11, 2018 10:17AM PDT

You do all this while driving?