Re: Can't block caller ID in Massachusetts?

["Michael H. Warfield" <mhw@wittsend.com>]

David Mazieres enscribed thusly:

> My last phone bill said that Nynex is now giving out people's names in
> addidtion to their phone numbers over caller-id.  I therefore called
> Nynex and told them to block caller-id on my phone line.

> They said no problem, but...  They said nothing I can do will block it
> when I call 800 numbers.  "The people with 800 numbers have special
> software, and there is nothing you can do to block your identity when
> calling them.  Not even *67."

	Might want to poke your nose into the comp.dcom.telecom newsgroup.
This is very VERY old news.  The people with 800 (and 900) numbers don't
have special software - they have a different service.  Instead of CLID,
they have ANI and have had it for YEARS!  One particular difference between
these two services is that CLID returns the "calling number" while ANI
returns the "billing number" (i.e. they number they would charge services
to).  For most of us, these numbers are identical.  For some of us, they
are different.

> Wow.  Maybe I'm not paranoid enough, but I never expected this.  I can
> never again call an 800 number anonymously to get information about
> something unless I go out to a pay phone.  What an incredible
> inconvenience, and how truly depressing.

	You are about a decade late on this one...

> I know 800 number owners probably used to be able to get lists of
> calling phone numbers on their phone bills, but this is less
> disturbing as it would take significant effort to match up the lists
> after the fact.  I just want to be able to call up companies and say,
> for instance, "If I buy your product, can it do X?" as opposed to, for
> instance, "I'm stuck with your product, can it do X?".  People are
> often more helpful in the former case.  Now, though, they'll know
> exactly who I am before they even say hello.

	Not everyone has the ANI service but not all of those who do will
admit to it.  The story is told of an American Express customer who got
extremely agitated after an American Express customer support representative
asked them if they has recently changed their phone number.  The answer was
"no - why do you ask".  The rep replied, "well, the number you're calling
from is different".  The customer got so upset that American Express no longer
asks when someone calls in from a number different than the number on file.

	This is also how you unlock those credit cards by calling an 800
number.  They warn you to call from your home number.  If you do, your card
is automagically activated.  If you don't, you have to jump through hoops.

> David

	Mike
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 Michael H. Warfield    |  (770) 985-6132   |  mhw@WittsEnd.com
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