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From: decwrl!well.sf.ca.us!well!nagle@uunet.uu.net (John Nagle)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Re: Ancient ANI
Message-ID: <13951@accuvax.nwu.edu>
Date: 23 Oct 90 17:28:24 GMT
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X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 757, Message 8 of 10


     Caller ID is the delivery vehicle for Automatic Number
Identification information to the subscriber.  Properly, ANI refers to
the original association of called number with physical line performed
in the originating central office.  Transmission of ANI information
via a sender was originally referred to as Automatic Number
Forwarding, or ANF, but that terminology is obsolete, and today the
term "ANI" includes "ANF".

     In existing systems, ANI information is delivered to customers in
very different ways depending upon whether the customer is a large or
small one.  With the transition to ISDN, and the availability of a
digital signalling channel, the distinction between "Caller ID" and
"ANI" will be much reduced, as the same information will be provided
to all ISDN customers as a packet on the D channel.

     The interesting story in the ANI area is how it came to pass that
ANI information is forwarded through the switching system, rather than
going no further than the originating office.  It's a consequence of
phone deregulation, which made long distance carriers retail, rather
than wholesale, businesses.  But enough for now.


John Nagle