- Caller ID is an optional service provided by most telephone companies and requires the customer to have Caller ID equipment in order for the service to work. With the proper equipment, the calling party's billing name, telephone number or both will appear on the customer's equipment while the number is ringing. This information will usually display on the caller ID for several seconds before disappearing. Depending on the caller ID equipment, calling numbers may be stored along with the time and the date that the call came in. Caller ID equipment may store anywhere from 10 to 100 telephone numbers from previous calls.
- Caller ID must be available in the area for the service to work. When a call is made, the calling information is transmitted from the originating phone number to the telephone company of the number being dialed. This company, through their own switching equipment, looks up and verifies the information and then sends the signal to their customer's caller ID equipment. If a call is coming from an area where caller ID service is not available, the information may not appear on the caller ID, but will instead display Out Of Area or Unavailable.
- There are two types of Caller ID service. The first displays the number of the calling party and the second displays the name and number of the calling party. This is generally the billing party's name. Both services usually come with a monthly fee, but expect to pay a little more if you want the calling party's name and number displayed. Some telephone companies offer optional services packages that may include caller ID service.
- Some people are under the assumption that if they have an unlisted number that there information will be kept private from the caller ID service. This is not the case. The database that is kept to maintain the caller ID service is completely separate from the database for telephone directories. Luckily, most telephone companies provide a star code to allow callers to block their information on a call by call basis and some companies offer it as a monthly service. The telephone provider can provide more information on this to customers.
- Prank calls just are not what they used to be thanks to Caller ID. In addition to preventing prank calls, caller ID is a great tool for dodging any call that is considered annoying.
