"Larry Blanchard" wrote in message
...
We have our number blocked on our land line phone. Imagine my surprise
when I called a merchants 800 number this morning and as soon as the call
was answered a computer voice informed me of the status of my order.

So I did some investigating. Seems there's a technique called automatic
number identification that's available to any owner of an 800 etc.
number. It ignores number blocking.

Sort of destroys the whole purpose, doesn't it?

At least the phone company isn't charging me for the blocking I thought I
had :-).

As others have said, ANI is available to 800, 888, 877, 866 and any other
toll free number protocol users that exist because they are paying for the
call. There is no simple way to block ANI when calling an 800 number.

Robort Bonomi - ANI absolutely does pre-date consumer caller ID by the
way...

However, it can be done contrary to what Artemus says. It just isn't as
simple as paying a few pennies to block your number the same way you do for
Caller ID.

The "best" way to block your number is to spoof it with your own private
PBX.

there are other ways by redirtecting your call through certain services or
operators who re-route your call and thus strip your call of ANI information
before it hits the 800 number...

So many details. I suggest searching Google for "ANI blocking", "Spoofing
my ANI", "Hiding ANI info", etc.

....And if you are really interested, subscribe to the magazine offered at
www.2600.com and learn lots about this and other technology stuff. There
are books written on this subject - some of which are available through
"vendors" listed in the back pages of 2600 magazines. Their magazines are
often found in Borders in the technology magazine section. They are smaller
than the rest of the offerings there.

Whatever you do, keep it moral. Teach others. Become a leader of the
ignorant, not their enemy. Knowledge is power.

(Soap box broke... Gotta go.)

Regards,
Joe Agro, Jr.
(800) 871-5022
01.908.542.0244
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V8013-R