I can't control the Caller ID!

[CrazedClerk]

As a call center employee I should point out there are security issues involved here.

Many places like that keep their IDs private/blocked so that some nut doesn't load up a few
.38 caliber weapons and try to shoot up the call center that's been harassing him, having gotten the location by tracing the ID.

Now when we call people it does come up with the name of our company, but the number could be a Washington, Florida, Michigan or whatever number based on whatever circuit the call is made through so two calls made by me from the same place could in fact show up as being from two completely different places.

[powerboy]

I never answer unknown numbers. I do have voice mail. If it is important, then they can leave message

[greensinestro]

As a call center employee I should point out there are security issues involved here.

Many places like that keep their IDs private/blocked so that some nut doesn't load up a few
.38 caliber weapons and try to shoot up the call center that's been harassing him, having gotten the location by tracing the ID.

Now when we call people it does come up with the name of our company, but the number could be a Washington, Florida, Michigan or whatever number based on whatever circuit the call is made through so two calls made by me from the same place could in fact show up as being from two completely different places.

Good example, being one time, years ago before all of this came about, I called this one lady back on a supervisor call. What a mistake that was. From that day on, she had our number to our office and had found a way around waiting on hold like other customers have to do. We could not block this lady either, and it was a bit difficult changing the phone number being all the execs had it. But, we had no choice being this lady was turning into a harassing customer. And today, that is most likely why companies hide their number like this.

[Dips]

Another legitmate reason to hide the number I'm calling from is when I return a customer call using my home phone or cell phone. No way I'm revealing that to a customer.

If they chose not to pick up, I understand; I screen calls from unknown numbers myself. I'll leave a message, if they give me the option, and they'll have to be "it" and call us back.

If they don't pick up and don't provide a way to leave a message, then they're not getting any help from me that day. I'll still go to sleep just fine knowing I did my job and tried to reach them. I've got other customers waiting for my help.

[TWOLF]

I know I do, the bad thing is when they want you to call someone for them that has the caller id block to where it won't take calls. So then they get pissy at you because you can't get through. That's why I have the policy of not calling them back, makes things easier for me and I don't get any blame. My only thing is that there are 5 people who have my phone number and only one of them even calls me on a regular basis

[MrSunshineState]

I never answer unknown numbers. I do have voice mail. If it is important, then they can leave message

I do the exact same thing. If it is somebody legitimately trying to reach me, they leave a voicemail.

[Banrion]

Large corporations who operate under a PBX have to pay very large amounts of money to have the caller ID show up. The phone companies consider it advertising from their point of view, because the phone company does not own any of the lines, equipment or telephone numbers being used. My company for example owns over 100,000 telephone numbers. For us to be displayed on caller ID, the phone company would be required to house an entire database just for us. That costs a large chunk of money on top of the fact that the company does not want 99.9% of those numbers available to the public anyway.

[aurelemsrealm]

I'm one of those, also, who won't answer unknown numbers. I do have voice mail, and will call back if it's important or someone I want to talk to. I only have my cell phone, and don't want to waste my minutes on irrelevant calls. I'm not one who talks on the phone unless I have something to say except with my parents. They're the only people I actually just chat with on the phone because they live 10 hours from me.

Also, another thing that I never considered until it started happening is receiving stupid pointless text messages from unknown numbers. That really irks me because it costs to receive them as well as send them. It's bad enough to get spam in my e-mail, but I don't have to pay extra for that. I don't text, so I've no reason to sign up for a texting plan. Customer service told me I could block text messages, period, but I don't mind paying for them if they're from someone I know. I'd call them back since I don't text. I wish I could just block unknown numbers from texting me.

[TWOLF]

Also, another thing that I never considered until it started happening is receiving stupid pointless text messages from unknown numbers. That really irks me because it costs to receive them as well as send them. It's bad enough to get spam in my e-mail, but I don't have to pay extra for that. I don't text, so I've no reason to sign up for a texting plan. Customer service told me I could block text messages, period, but I don't mind paying for them if they're from someone I know. I'd call them back since I don't text. I wish I could just block unknown numbers from texting me.

The biggest reason most people get texts from people they don't know is because someone had the number before or depending on how long you have had the phone, someone is giving out your number. The problem with texting and cell phones is that the spam ones you get are going through the filters, the companies do try to control this. China and Russia are the two biggest I've seen sending out so far. I recommend to my customers if it's coming from a 10 digit number and it's the same one(if your company allows this) that they can block the number, yes it normaly costs you but in the long run it does help. If it has a 5 digit code, no way to block it.
Here is something most people don't know. You know those 5 digit pop ups you get for joke of the day or that garbage? Well even if you block your texts they will still bill you. Alot of people think it will stop but doesn't.

[aurelemsrealm]

The phone company is going to do what it's going to do, and we have to accept that if we want to use the services they provide. However, I don't think they should bill customers for receiving text messages. The sender should pay the cost, at least according to my sense of logic. The sender is the one who obviously wants to send the message. The recipient has no choice in whether or not to receive the message. I know I sure resent having to pay for message I don't even want being sent to me. To my way of thinking, that's about as bad as the idea of paying postage on all junk mail put in your mailbox. I didn't ask for it! I don't want it! Why should I have to pay for it just because some unknown jackal sent it to me?

It may be a pain to make this work, but couldn't the phone companies set up an option to accept or refuse a message from whatever number? If you want to know what the message says, you accept it and are billed accordingly. If you don't care, then you are free to refuse, and the message is killed. Like I said, it may be a pain, but it's also ridiculous to have to jump through extra hoops if some unknown jackal keeps sending unwanted messages to other phone customers.

[alphaboi]

I'll answer calls that don't display a name, but if the actual number is blocked too no deal. I understand that most companies use a central switchboard, but there's no reason why they can't have their corporate name and some kind of contact number display. I don't block my own number and I'm simply not interested in speaking to those who do.

[TWOLF]

I do aggree that it would be a good idea for companies to be able to give the option of being able to except messages from some people and not from others. But then this leads to bigger issues then expected and well money.
From the company stand point if they had something like this developed it would take a good chunk of money from what I understand and then you have to get the rights to it. So how would this effect you, well you would end up paying for this type of service so the company could make their money back. The second part has to do with the makers of phones as well. They would have to come up with the software to put this into the phones and not all companies may want to do this. I could go on and on, but I think most people get the point. And I would do it if I had the power.
The deal about people you don't know texting you, one problem is let's say a friend looses their phone, they may text you from someone else's and you may not know it. To be honest, I don't like alot of these companies that say put in your number and get these ringtones. I don't know how many parents have said my kid didn't do it and yell at me, only to find out halfway through the call while screaming at me and the kid, the kid did do it. But then they are pissed because it happened. Parents have control, it's called talking the phone away or putting on blocks. Even restricting usage on computers at certain ages would be a benifit, but you can't always watch what little Timmy is doing.