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Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 6:54 am
by nitsudima
FWIW, CallerID seems to be an inexact science at best. I have several friends who call from their landlines and cell phones and I only get "Indiana Caller" or "Wireless Caller" on my CallerID. It doesn't surprise me that not all Oomas work properly -- sounds like there's something fundamentally wrong with the way CallerID info is transmitted/received in the system instead of specifically being an Ooma problem.

Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 7:00 am
by lbmofo
southsound wrote:Here is the REALLY strange thing... we have had our Qwest landline since 1998. It has always shown our correct name - until about a week ago. Now, no name. Well, almost no name - if I check it on http://tnid.org/ it is blank - if I call an ooma number, it shows up properly. We have done nothing from our end.
I checked my number on tnid.org, used to show my name but now just shows my state. I wonder what's up with that?

I think ooma to ooma calls, the account holder name gets xmitted so will always see the right callerid.

Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:12 pm
by Davesworld
nitsudima wrote:FWIW, CallerID seems to be an inexact science at best. I have several friends who call from their landlines and cell phones and I only get "Indiana Caller" or "Wireless Caller" on my CallerID. It doesn't surprise me that not all Oomas work properly -- sounds like there's something fundamentally wrong with the way CallerID info is transmitted/received in the system instead of specifically being an Ooma problem.
This is not how it works. First some clarification is in order. CallerID (CID) in itself only refers to the incoming number being displayed and this is seldom an issue. Names are what is known as CNAM. There is nothing wrong with the technology of RFC3761 if truly implemented. Some providers only use pseudo cheap half baked implementations of it. There's the correct way using true LIDB/CNAM database dipping and then there's the "can I get away with offering this to my customers" way by simply inputting periodic lists of names and numbers.

True incoming CNAM runs each incoming CID through the national LIDB/CNAM database (Actually there are three main ones for North America but Verisign is the main one). Since it costs a fraction of a penny per dip on every incoming call, many providers try to fake it by simply using a periodically updated list they get from God knows where rather than use true incoming CNAM as I mentioned above. It takes Ooma weeks or months to see changes since they do not use true CNAM dipping and some incoming numbers will never show CNAM correctly so it IS an Ooma problem. Also Ooma to Ooma calls will show very different than across the PSTN. It's always been possible to send your own CNAM from the ATA but only internal calls will show it or sip to sip calls which you cannot do on your own with Ooma equipment.

Outgoing CNAM is a whole different matter. Your outgoing CNAM only needs to be inserted into LIDB/CNAM once which costs typically ten dollars to have it inserted if your VOIP Provider (ITSP) will even offer it. Having owned a few Ooma devices, Ooma to Ooma calls will show whatever is in Ooma's system internally to the recipient. Going over the PSTN may not show anything but private or unknown since you are not inserted into the LIDB/CNAM database unless you got lucky or bugged them about it. Ooma has been known to insert it if you whine enough since it costs money. I could not imagine a one time free for life (except taxes) service giving you too much since it costs them money to do outbound one time insertion (this should be a paid option) and incoming CNAM dipping which is a constant expense per call.

Since I have accounts with a few other providers that do true CNAM dipping as well as an account that allows me to shoot a number through the three main databases for about a penny an inquiry, I can honestly say that the same numbers incoming on my HUB or TELO often do not show what is current. For providers who do actually do use true CNAM etc, caching this data is against the database providers policies.

Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:39 pm
by lbmofo
$10 per name insert? Wow, everytime a family plan line name gets updated via the web, cell phone companies shell out $10?

Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 11:15 pm
by Davesworld
lbmofo wrote:$10 per name insert? Wow, everytime a family plan line name gets updated via the web, cell phone companies shell out $10?
Does the CNAM actually change whenever you do that? I've changed plans a few times but outgoing CNAM has never changed for me. It's kind of funny that when you call a non cell with incoming CNAM available from a cell, they will see your CNAM but incoming CNAM on a cell has been resisted by the carriers. At least incoming CID works so you will see any number and name that is in your directory as well as assign ringtones.

Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:23 am
by lbmofo
Davesworld wrote:Does the CNAM actually change whenever you do that?
For the family cell lines, I've modified a name or 2 a couple of times in the past (with AT&T account web interface), the callerid name reflected my updates a day or 2 later (tested calling landline & ooma).

Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:07 pm
by Davesworld
lbmofo wrote:
Davesworld wrote:Does the CNAM actually change whenever you do that?
For the family cell lines, I've modified a name or 2 a couple of times in the past (with AT&T account web interface), the callerid name reflected my updates a day or 2 later (tested calling landline & ooma).
That's a pretty fast insertion time.

Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:41 pm
by lbmofo
Davesworld wrote:That's a pretty fast insertion time.
Not really sure how many days but days :)

Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2010 11:41 pm
by alanrf
When I called Ooma customer support on the (totally unrelated to this thread) issue of Call Waiting Caller-id (CWCID) I was advised by the CSR that my outbound caller-id would not be setup until 10 business days after the port of my number to Ooma even though it was not related to the issue I was reporting to the CSR.

It was not an issue until that point. Previously the numbers I called had been able to see my caller-id information without any problem. Nevertheless, 4 weeks after the completion of the port of my number to Ooma friends were telling me that my number showed as "Sacramento, CA".

Ever an optimist I called Ooma customer support. I was told by the CSR that my outbound caller-id would be set up within 10 business days of the port of my number to Ooma. I referred to the fact that more than 10 business days had elapsed since the completion of the port of my number. I was advised to hold while the information was checked. I was told that a senior technical person said that outbound caller-id took 2-3 weeks to set up after porting the number. I pointed out that I had been told earlier it took 10 business days and that, anyway, 4 weeks had now elapsed since the port of my number. Again a request to hold followed by the reply that a trouble ticket would need to be opened (the third since I purchased my Telo in mid August 2010).

Within 24 hours my caller-id information was showing as it should and it cleared the only of 3 trouble tickets opened with Ooma since my use of the service.

Re: My Caller ID on there phone is incorrect!!??

Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:01 pm
by lbmofo
I helped a friend setup back in early Oct. Got 2 numbers assigned by Ooma. Later called into CS to remove the primary # and make the 2ndary number the primary & the only number. Today, I checked tnid.org and the callerid info is updated with my friend's name; used to say "Ooma, Inc."