Calling Number Identification (CNID) service, better known as caller ID, is a phone feature used by many landline and cell phone consumers.
Caller identification enables you to see the number and usually the name of the business or person calling.
Thus, many people like the service because it enables them to better protect their privacy and screen unwanted calls.
Caller ID was invented in Greece during the 1960's, but the first market trial did not occur until the mid 1980's in Florida.
This was also the same time when the term "caller ID" was first used to describe the service.
Bell South became the first telecommunications company to deploy CNID, and as it became more and more popular, other phone companies began to offer the service to their customers.
As was previously mentioned, today, many people have caller ID and many other convenient phone features hooked up to their telephone service, including call waiting, visual call waiting (the ability to see who is on the second line when you are already on the phone), call forwarding, etc.
However, like any technology, CNID is not without its flaws.
How effective is caller ID? For the most part, caller identification is very useful, and most of the times it displays accurate information.
That said, some phone consumers feel that this service is an invasion of privacy, and they don't like the idea that the person they are calling is provided with their phone number.
For instance, if you were calling someone you didn't know very well or whom you had just met on an online dating site, etc.
, you may not feel comfortable with this person having your number.
This is because they may be able to use it to trace your location or learn other personal details about you.
Due to this fact, phone consumers can dial *67 prior to entering the number they wish to call and their number and name will not show up on the call recipient's caller ID.
In addition, certain nefarious individuals, who are looking to harass a phone consumer, can use caller ID spoofing to trick the person into thinking that the call is from someone else, as the name and number of the real caller is disguised with false information.
As you can see, there are ways people can prevent caller ID from revealing their identity.
Nevertheless, if you subscribe to CNID, although you cannot always trust that the name and number being displayed is accurate, keep in mind that caller ID provides you with a phone number, and you can learn more about numbers you don't recognize through a reverse cell phone lookup service.
Caller identification enables you to see the number and usually the name of the business or person calling.
Thus, many people like the service because it enables them to better protect their privacy and screen unwanted calls.
Caller ID was invented in Greece during the 1960's, but the first market trial did not occur until the mid 1980's in Florida.
This was also the same time when the term "caller ID" was first used to describe the service.
Bell South became the first telecommunications company to deploy CNID, and as it became more and more popular, other phone companies began to offer the service to their customers.
As was previously mentioned, today, many people have caller ID and many other convenient phone features hooked up to their telephone service, including call waiting, visual call waiting (the ability to see who is on the second line when you are already on the phone), call forwarding, etc.
However, like any technology, CNID is not without its flaws.
How effective is caller ID? For the most part, caller identification is very useful, and most of the times it displays accurate information.
That said, some phone consumers feel that this service is an invasion of privacy, and they don't like the idea that the person they are calling is provided with their phone number.
For instance, if you were calling someone you didn't know very well or whom you had just met on an online dating site, etc.
, you may not feel comfortable with this person having your number.
This is because they may be able to use it to trace your location or learn other personal details about you.
Due to this fact, phone consumers can dial *67 prior to entering the number they wish to call and their number and name will not show up on the call recipient's caller ID.
In addition, certain nefarious individuals, who are looking to harass a phone consumer, can use caller ID spoofing to trick the person into thinking that the call is from someone else, as the name and number of the real caller is disguised with false information.
As you can see, there are ways people can prevent caller ID from revealing their identity.
Nevertheless, if you subscribe to CNID, although you cannot always trust that the name and number being displayed is accurate, keep in mind that caller ID provides you with a phone number, and you can learn more about numbers you don't recognize through a reverse cell phone lookup service.
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