Someone slightly worrying happened this morning. I called up Orange on their customer services number (an 07973 number). After waiting on hold for 30mins they eventually replied and sorted out the query. Then I get 2 txt messages from them despite having withheld my number and double-checking this by calling my landline. I am not an Orange customer and the call was about a bill sent to someone that had moved out of a friend's nearby address 2 years ago so they don't have any of my details. Withholding numbers only half works then?
Withholding number that doesn't
The software that runs the phone system we have at work can call up the data burst that gets sent with every call we receive. In there you can see that there are two numbers recorded. One which gets passed onto the recipients phone and one that the networks use for billing purposes.
If you withhold your number the first field is blanked but the billing number is always present. So sounds like Orange are extracting the billing number rather than the display number, hence how they knew your number.
The 999 operators can do the same if needed, though I suspect no-one would object too much if they did that in a life threatening situation. Bit different for a phone company if all they use it for is marketing texts.
If you withhold your number the first field is blanked but the billing number is always present. So sounds like Orange are extracting the billing number rather than the display number, hence how they knew your number.
The 999 operators can do the same if needed, though I suspect no-one would object too much if they did that in a life threatening situation. Bit different for a phone company if all they use it for is marketing texts.
Originally Posted by chrisjr:
“The software that runs the phone system we have at work can call up the data burst that gets sent with every call we receive. In there you can see that there are two numbers recorded. One which gets passed onto the recipients phone and one that the networks use for billing purposes.
If you withhold your number the first field is blanked but the billing number is always present. So sounds like Orange are extracting the billing number rather than the display number, hence how they knew your number.
The 999 operators can do the same if needed, though I suspect no-one would object too much if they did that in a life threatening situation. Bit different for a phone company if all they use it for is marketing texts.”
“The software that runs the phone system we have at work can call up the data burst that gets sent with every call we receive. In there you can see that there are two numbers recorded. One which gets passed onto the recipients phone and one that the networks use for billing purposes.
If you withhold your number the first field is blanked but the billing number is always present. So sounds like Orange are extracting the billing number rather than the display number, hence how they knew your number.
The 999 operators can do the same if needed, though I suspect no-one would object too much if they did that in a life threatening situation. Bit different for a phone company if all they use it for is marketing texts.”
Absolutely right... in simple terms, when you withhold your number - you actually don't. The call sends a flag that tells the other end to "withhold" presentation. It's the same technology that allows people to set "Presentation numbers" differently from their "billing number".
The network operators obviously have access to both numbers for any given call, how CS-areas might use this, may vary. They should certainly respect any withheld flag unless there are good reasons.
Originally Posted by japitts:
“Absolutely right... in simple terms, when you withhold your number - you actually don't. The call sends a flag that tells the other end to "withhold" presentation. It's the same technology that allows people to set "Presentation numbers" differently from their "billing number".
The network operators obviously have access to both numbers for any given call, how CS-areas might use this, may vary. They should certainly respect any withheld flag unless there are good reasons.”
“Absolutely right... in simple terms, when you withhold your number - you actually don't. The call sends a flag that tells the other end to "withhold" presentation. It's the same technology that allows people to set "Presentation numbers" differently from their "billing number".
The network operators obviously have access to both numbers for any given call, how CS-areas might use this, may vary. They should certainly respect any withheld flag unless there are good reasons.”
Not sure if it sets a flag. On the tests I saw when you dialled in with the 141 prefix the presentation number field was completely blank. But obviously the billing number was still present.
Mind you that was a few years ago so the two remaining functioning brain cells rattling around inside me head may be playing silly b's on me
141 doesn't always work on mobiles you can set the option on the handset through. However as some said this doesn't stop the emergency services or your own network seeing it.
Is the OP aware that Orange, T-mobile and EE are all the same, so if you're a customer of any of those then that would explain it.
Is the OP aware that Orange, T-mobile and EE are all the same, so if you're a customer of any of those then that would explain it.
