[asterisk-users] Free CNAM

[Steve Totaro]

On Sun, May 29, 2011 at 10:13 AM, Cary Fitch <caryf at usawide.net> wrote:
>> The system uses real Telco CNAM Dips.  Any generic names you get are
>
>> from the subscriber's carrier itself.  We can only provide what we
>
>> ourselves get.
>
>
>
> There's more than one CNAM database (aren't there seven?).  I would have
>
> hoped that a service such as this would look at a bunch of them and choose
>
> the one that had the best result.
>
> ==========================================
>
> I am the original skeptic in this thread. (and, horrors, have top posted
> besides!)
>
>
>
> But,
>
>
>
> What do you want for free?
>
>
>
> Oh, Asterisk for starters of course, but... don't look a gift horse in the
> mouth.  Say "Thanks, I hope it grows."
>
>
>
> So how about some one in the open source community come up with a few lines
> of code to add it to Asterisk?
>
>
>
> C.

So the question is, what is the angle?

I have seen large scale outbound call centers make a nice sideline
profit from CNAM lookups, you just have to hook up with the company
that pays you the best share and make millions of calls after you set
your CID to one of their numbers.  Some give a generic opt out option.

I have seen businesses built around just the take on CNAM dips from
the telco.  These operations only ring the phone long enough for a
POTS line to grab CID info.

I have used it not as primary income but because the outfit getting
the kickbacks paid pretty well and the Opt out list was real, so they
provided a service and they also provided a side revenue stream.

Two extremes for sure.  Both  are taking advantage of the system.  One
in basically a rip-off and the second, as far as I am concerned, a
valid revenue stream that helps offset operating costs of a true
outbound call center.

Is there some kind of money play here.  Apologies for being a skeptic
but so far only FreeSwitch didn't have a hidden (some more than
others) agenda.  You know, dual licenses.  People forced to sign over
IP rights to get code committed to go into SwitchVox, not just Digium
of course, that is just what popped to mind.

Nothing leaps out at me, but I know for a fact that CID can equal big
money.  I am unsure of all the behind the scenes agreements on who
gets paid and who pays.

Can anyone elaborate?  It seems like this would cost the developer in
the beginning anyways.

Again, skeptic, apologies if there is no harm, no foul.  I just know
that CID dips include money exchange.  Just not sure how this would
fit in.

Thanks,
Steve Totaro