Home› Broadband Internet› Landline Phones and VoIP Services
Click here to check out Digital Spy's Tech section for the latest news, updates, reviews and cheap deals.

How does someone get YOUR caller ID when called indirectly?

Simon RodgersSimon Rodgers Posts: 4,693
Forum Member
✭✭✭
in Landline Phones and VoIP Services #1
Has anyone ever used a dial through number (where you call a number and then get put through to another number at the rate of the first one which is cheaper to call) and then the receiver of the call has YOUR number on their caller ID?

How is this possible? I thought if you go through one of these services, the destination number can only get the number that the first party calls them from? How does the first party pass your number onto the second and does this mean you get charged extra?

Comments

  • BKMBKM Posts: 6,912
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #2
    Simon Rodgers wrote: »
    How is this possible? I thought if you go through one of these services, the destination number can only get the number that the first party calls them from? How does the first party pass your number onto the second and does this mean you get charged extra?
    The UK rule is that you ALWAYS get charged for the number as dialled - that will be the FIRST (relay) number in your case.

    Calls also have a separate "presentation number" for purposes such as CLID - and this may be different from the "calling number". Some firms will set this to their switchboard number - or their 0800 or 0845 number.

    The final destination in your example will know that it has been called from the relay service number - but it will display the original callers number as that is what the presentation field is set to.
  • Simon RodgersSimon Rodgers Posts: 4,693
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #3
    Surely if someone calls you, you expect the caller ID from the number which calls you, unless it's been withheld.

    I thought routing services would either withhold a number or leave their own which would either be unobtainable or refuse incoming calls if you called it back.

    Therefore how do they pass on YOUR number when calling other people since it is not you who called them, is it?
  • BKMBKM Posts: 6,912
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #4
    Simon Rodgers wrote: »
    Surely if someone calls you, you expect the caller ID from the number which calls you, unless it's been withheld.

    I thought routing services would either withhold a number or leave their own which would either be unobtainable or refuse incoming calls if you called it back.

    Therefore how do they pass on YOUR number when calling other people since it is not you who called them, is it?
    I would disagree. In these cases I would expect the original callers number. The fact that someone has used a call-through service (presumably to save money) is no concern to me!

    Similarly, if I divert from my mobile to my landline and someone dials the mobile, I see THEIR number and NOT that of my mobile.
  • Gerry1Gerry1 Posts: 4,215
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #5
    Simon Rodgers wrote: »
    Surely if someone calls you, you expect the caller ID from the number which calls you, unless it's been withheld.
    No, that's not the case. Sometimes the calling organisation won't want you to call back to the same number, e.g. if it was a call centre agent, so a presentation number will be more appropriate. This will often give a recorded message, e.g. "BT called you today but you weren't available. Don't worry, if we still need to speak to you, we'll call you again."

    DDI extensions don't have their own exclusive PSTN line, so a presentation number may be shown if the DDI number is not available.

    Also, calls routed via 18185 can show up as 'International'.
  • Simon RodgersSimon Rodgers Posts: 4,693
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #6
    Gerry1 wrote: »
    No, that's not the case. Sometimes the calling organisation won't want you to call back to the same number, e.g. if it was a call centre agent, so a presentation number will be more appropriate. This will often give a recorded message, e.g. "BT called you today but you weren't available. Don't worry, if we still need to speak to you, we'll call you again."

    DDI extensions don't have their own exclusive PSTN line, so a presentation number may be shown if the DDI number is not available.

    Also, calls routed via 18185 can show up as 'International'.

    What is 18185?

    What I'm asking is how does the middle party (which is not yourself) pass on YOUR number when it is THEM who call your destination?
  • BKMBKM Posts: 6,912
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #7
    Simon Rodgers wrote: »
    What is 18185?
    One of the cheaper calls operators uses 18185. You call this number first then the destination number
    What I'm asking is how does the middle party (which is not yourself) pass on YOUR number when it is THEM who call your destination?
    Simple! I thought I had answered this! Any call has TWO numbers -it's origin number and a presentation number.

    Middle parties normally just forward the "presentation number" - which, for domestic numbers (but not businesses quite often) is the same as the phone number.

    The final exchange sees a call from <middle party> with a <presentation number> of original callers number.
  • Simon RodgersSimon Rodgers Posts: 4,693
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #8
    BKM wrote: »
    One of the cheaper calls operators uses 18185. You call this number first then the destination number

    Simple! I thought I had answered this! Any call has TWO numbers -it's origin number and a presentation number.

    Middle parties normally just forward the "presentation number" - which, for domestic numbers (but not businesses quite often) is the same as the phone number.

    The final exchange sees a call from <middle party> with a <presentation number> of original callers number.

    Thanks, that makes more sense now. Obviously 18185 doesn't do that, it appears to reroute the call overseas via it's own network then back to the UK, which may explain why it says it is an international call. I know the 0800 MUM DAD service use to route calls to Australia and back but I'm not sure if they still do.

    With regards to 18185, I find that Planet Talk Instant is cheaper: - http://www.planet-talk.co.uk/instant/cheap-international-calls-instantly.aspx
  • Mike_1101Mike_1101 Posts: 8,012
    Forum Member
    ✭
    #9
    I use 18185 and have just tried calling my mobile (without dialling 141 first) , it displayed my landline number.

    I then tried again twice using 141 18185 + mobile number and these (random?) appeared
    +59158695615
    +9759271612.

    Apart from that I have no complaints about 18185 but I don't see why they and "Connect Telecom" (who do the billing) need to be so secretive. I know they are part of something called "Finarea" in Lugano.
  • Simon RodgersSimon Rodgers Posts: 4,693
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    #10
    Mike_1101 wrote: »
    I use 18185 and have just tried calling my mobile (without dialling 141 first) , it displayed my landline number.

    I then tried again twice using 141 18185 + mobile number and these (random?) appeared
    +59158695615
    +9759271612.

    Apart from that I have no complaints about 18185 but I don't see why they and "Connect Telecom" (who do the billing) need to be so secretive. I know they are part of something called "Finarea" in Lugano.

    Have you ever tried calling those numbers back? Isn't Lugana in Switzerland? The code for Switzerland is +41, not either of those two!
Sign In or Register to comment.