Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!jarthur!usc!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request
From: btni!null!eric@uunet.uu.net (Eric J. Johnson)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Call Trace Question
Message-ID: <6375@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 13 Apr 90 15:20:18 GMT
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Reply-To: "Eric J. Johnson" <btni!null!eric@uunet.uu.net>
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 253, Message 3 of 9


In article <6246@accuvax.nwu.edu> smk@attunix.att.com (S M Krieger) writes:
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 246, Message 9 of 12

>Along with the Caller ID feature, NJ Bell quietly implemented a Call
>Trace feature.  By pushing a certain code (I think it's *79), the last
>number that called will be saved and provided to the police; each
>trace costs $1.00.

1. At least here, call traces cannot be provided
   to the police (or anyone else, for that matter) without
   a court order.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  To do otherwise would be
   an invasion of privacy.

2. COT traces will, however, be saved in a database to be used
   in the event of a security investigation/court order.

>Now for my question: if the originating exchange does not support
>Caller ID, etc., does anybody know what number will be provided if

COT does not depend on 'Caller ID' being available.

>Call Trace is activiated?  Obviously it can't be the phone number that
>just called, but will it be a "blank", or will it be the last number
>for which a trace was available (and if it is, I don't even want to

If the traced call originated outside the common channel signaling
area, (SS7 area), the subscriber may receive an announcement
informing them that the trace could not be performed.  The current
recommended message is:

	'A complete trace cannot be generated for your last
	 incoming call.  Please contact your telco for further
	 assistance.'

In most cases, the fact that the trace was not complete will be
recorded with as much information as possible, for instance the
calling number may not be available, but the incoming trunk may be.
This is still quite useful in a security investigation.

>think about the legal implications of the telco reporting the wrong
>originating number to the police)?  

I do not understand where you see a 'wrong number' being applied here.
All COT traces are logged separately.


Eric J. Johnson
UUCP: eric@null.uucp
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and in
no way reflect the will of Landru.  (or U S WEST Communications)