[Asterisk-Users] Definitive CallerID Format and anonymous?

[Rich Adamson]

> I use various IAX providers to terminate my outbound calls.  I set the
> caller-ID to one of several DIDs, based on the called number.  There
> doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to what the called user sees,
> however.
> 
> Calls to most cell-phones show *exactly* the number I submit.
> Calls to land-lines sometimes show, other times not.
> Calls to other voip-providers most often show, but sometimes don't.
> 
> I'm currently only setting CID as a ten-digit number.  Has anyone on
> this list tested caller-id delivery with various services?  Is there
> *one* usable format (i.e. 1+10, or "+1"+10), or does it vary from
> provider to provider?
> 
> Secondly, I've been having a difficult time hiding my CID information
> from callees.  Not setting it will sometimes deliver the extension ID
> (logically); setting it to a blank string will sometimes deliver random,
> even invalid numbers.  My best bet so far has been to simply set it to
> 0000000000.  Better options?

You're seeing about the same results that the rest of us have seen.

A fair number of the iax providers contract with other bulk providers
to terminate calls. Some bulk providers accept calleridnum while others 
don't. Highly likely the only way to get answers to this is from your 
iax providers assuming they will even tell you who they use for 
termination. Even if they would tell you, I'd bet at least some money
their bulk providers aren't consistent across all nodes they support.

As maybe a poor example, some bulk providers may have pstn interfaces
into low volume locations that are based on two-wire analog equipment
(eg, fxo channel bank, h.323 boxes) where the analog interface won't
accept calleridnum.

If you read through the livevoip.com bankruptcy filing, it would appear
they had some sort of relationship with Netixs, Broadvox, Telesthetics,
and Voice Conduits. Some if not all apparently provided termination
services to livevoip. How would the folks at livevoip even know which
physical pstn interfaces did or did not support calleridnum when
completing a call? (The only probably way would likely involve asking
you for the dialed number, trace that number through whatever logic
livevoip used for switching that iax call, contacting that provider,
tracing the call through their facilities until the pstn interface
was located, and then (and only then) answering the question whether
calleridnum is supported. Not likely most itsp's would go that far
since its a time consuming effort.)

Bottom line... I don't think you'll find any real answers or consistency
where calleridnum will or won't work. 

The same answer applies to hiding CID info. I have seen where some
telemarketing companies send their calleridnum as 999-999-9999 in the
US. I would doubt that sending "    " (spaces) would work.

Pure guess is the smaller the itsp, the more likely you might get
consistent calleridnum support, primarily because the smaller itsp's
will likely have a limited number of pstn call completion interfaces.

Rich