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From: telecom@ucbvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.telecom
Subject: calling party ID
Message-ID: <8512261256.2947.0.VT1.00C@vortex.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Dec-85 15:56:38 EST
Article-I.D.: vortex.8512261256.2947.0.VT1.00C
Posted: Thu Dec 26 15:56:38 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Dec-85 18:14:35 EST
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Yes, there are some LOCAL trials.
Yes, there are specs for collecting such info from CCIS data.

But there are also some reasons why widespread availability in any
USEFUL form won't be around for quite awhile:

1) In at least one local trial, users could BLOCK their calls from
   being ID'd.  This could only be bypassed by dialing a special
   code which would record the calling party's number AT THE CO.
   The info would only be made available if the called party made an
   official complaint and filed a police report regarding obscene or
   harrassing calls, and even then the police would get the number,
   not the called party.  There was also a hefty per-use charge for
   this service.

   Ya' see, there are interesting privacy issues involved.  You may think
   it's OK for you to get the numbers of everyone who calls you.  But
   do you think it's OK for businesses to COLLECT that info from random
   inquiry calls and use it to make up telephone "mailing lists" for
   future advertising, perhaps by automated calling equipment?  And exactly
   WHAT GOOD does getting a random phone number for an obnoxious calling
   business really do you?  Odds are it will be some random trunk on some
   random unlisted circuit.  To DO anything with it, you'd have to file all
   of the official complaints and paperwork--and in such a case the odds
   are that YOUR having the number (it's probably a dial-out only trunk
   anyway, so you can't even call it!) won't do you much more good than if the
   number was only recorded for official investigative use by the appropriate
   authorities.

   But keep in mind, if you can see other people's numbers, they (including
   businesses) can see yours.  And the odds are that the businesses will tend
   to make much greater use of this info than you as an individual will do.
   Individuals tend to have simple dialin/out trunks, but businesses, 
   especially telephone solicitation types, tend to have numbers that you
   CAN'T CALL BACK.  You'll have to rely on the authorities to take action--
   I hope you like red tape.

2) Before the Bell breakup, I would have predicted widespread CCIS 
   implementation.  But with the masses of bizarre carriers, WATS resellers,
   "tin can and string" operations, etc., I suspect that the number of calls
   that will not be passing useful calling number information will remain
   very high.  

3) People often suggest that calling party number ID will end obscene
   and harrassing phone calls.  Well, I doubt it, unless we ban pay
   phones at the same time.

--Lauren--