Landlines are not as ordinary as they used to be, and cell phones have ushered out Caller ID. However, since cell phones are supposed to be the more advanced form of landline, you might wonder why these devices don’t always display the name, location, and phone number of incoming callers.
Cell phones do not have caller IDs because they are wireless. Caller ID requires a full channel connection, as the call information flows from the caller to your phone carrier. Wireless connections rarely take up a full transmission wavelength, making Caller ID inefficient for cell phone carriers.
This article will discuss how caller ID works, the types of caller ID available, and some options available for people who want caller ID on their cell phones. It will also address why most cellular service providers don’t automatically include caller ID in their service plans.
Is There a Caller ID Option for Cell Phones?
Although cell phones should be able to do everything a landline can and more, they still do not regularly use actual caller IDs to identify incoming callers. Instead, cell phones only recognize the caller’s number and approximate location by area code.
There are some caller ID options for cell phones, but they differ from traditional caller IDs. You may be able to pay your phone carrier to provide caller ID, use a VoIP application to get information about callers or use a free CNAM database.
So, let’s talk a bit about these options and how they work:
Ask Your Phone Carrier for Caller ID for Cell Phone
These services are sometimes limited to other callers who use the same carrier as you, as most cellular phone data is kept private, and carriers rarely share their customer information.
So, if you want caller ID, talk to your phone service provider about the options. Each network works differently.
Use a VoIP Application (App) for Caller ID
These apps are often targeted toward businesses that make frequent outbound calls and allow users to set their Caller ID profiles.
Using these profiles, additional information from your IP address, and other online resources lets the apps intuitively provide a caller’s name, phone number, and original location.
These profiles use a VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol to integrate with your wireless network and send call recipients your information.
These apps can also use the same protocol to identify potential scammers, block calls, and harvest information about the caller.
These apps represent the future of smartphone caller ID, using the internet instead of physical analog lines to find CNAMs or caller names.
Use a Free CNAM Database
Using a free CNAM option won’t give you caller ID on your phone before you pick up the call; it will allow you to identify callers and learn more about why they are reaching out to you on a website.
Free CNAM databases like Caller ID Test allow you to enter a phone number on a web browser, then read about the name associated with the number.
These search tools generally look for results in a centralized CNAM listing. Still, they may check for other internet accounts associated with the number, including Facebook pages, Google Business Pages, and Online Phone Books. They may also be able to access information about the caller’s service provider.
Types of Caller Identification
When referring to caller ID, there are several pieces of information that you can refer to:
- Number Only: Number-only, or CLID, caller ID is the most common form of caller ID. It is a single message transmission that displays the caller’s phone number. Most smartphones, cell phones, and landlines receive this information automatically with one single incoming message.
- Name and Number: Name and number, or CNAM, caller ID requires two messages: one CLID message and one CNAM message containing the caller’s name. Phone service providers can send this message via an analog or internet connection.
In this article, we will refer to the name and number type as “Caller ID” since it’s the type of caller ID uncommon in cellular phones.
How Does Caller ID Work?
Caller ID works by running a phone number from an incoming caller through a database of zip codes, names, and phone numbers to find a match. This process occurs at a phone carrier’s central office, where an automated system sends a second message about the caller’s ID to your landline.
So, caller ID information is entirely different from the one your phone gets when it rings. Let’s take a look at how a phone carrier initiates and uses caller ID:
- Someone makes a call to you. When someone calls you, and you have a landline with Caller ID, the call will ring once, pause for a second, then ring the second time. The following steps happen in that brief moment between the first and second ring.
- Your phone carrier generates a calling line identification (CLID). During call transmission, calling line identification (CLID), the caller’s phone number becomes a message, which the carrier transmits to your phone. This message allows you to see the caller’s phone number, regardless of whether you use a cell phone or landline.
- Your phone carrier identifies the caller’s name. As soon as the caller initiates the call, their phone number will run through a database of CNAMs (caller names) at your carrier’s central operations office. Once the computer identifies the phone number and the person who owns it, they convert it into an encoded message on your cell phone’s caller ID receiver.
So, in two or three seconds, the call moves many miles from the caller to the carrier to you, delivering two separate messages to your phone. This transmission requires an analog wavelength, and service providers only have so many of these.
To learn more about how cell phones work and how they receive messages, you might want to watch this fascinating YouTube video from Wendover Productions:
Reasons Cell Phones Do Not Often Come With Caller ID
So, now that you know how caller ID works let’s discuss why it’s not often available for cell phones.
Cell Phones Are Mobile
Since cell phones are mobile, you will use many cellular service sites to make calls. These sites, often called towers, are everywhere, so you will have service anywhere you go.
However, tracing your information becomes tricky without a stationary, set place where you make calls. As you travel, carriers that attempt to access your name and other data may get faulty results if you’re not at home.
On the other hand, landlines are always in one place and use your home’s phone service, allowing the service provider to use your zip code and location coordinates to verify your identity.
We discuss cell phone mobility in our article “Do Smartphones Have Built-In Antennas?”
Providing Caller ID Is Expensive for Phone Companies
Cell phone service providers all have paying customers. Still, to access the entire network, they have to team up and pool together their customer’s information to provide accurate caller IDs.
In most cases, phone service providers pay other companies every time they “dip into” a caller name database, which could get very expensive if everyone used caller ID.
For example, AT&T generally pays $0.004 every time they provide call recipients with a caller name.
For that reason, supplying all cell phones with caller ID is inefficient for most phone carriers, especially considering the number of people who make calls every day.
Mobile data is relatively expensive in the United States for several reasons. Check out our comprehensive guide to learn more about it and “Why Is Mobile Data So Expensive in the US?”
Caller ID Discloses Your Information
Knowing that people who subscribe to caller ID may have access to your name, number, and location just by making a phone call may not bother some, but it’s not always ideal for everyone.
Customers who want to protect their information from companies, debt collectors, and any other caller may choose to remain unlisted in the CNAM database. So, these people may not even have an ID to display when they make a call.
Service Provider Caller ID Is Usually Analog
Cell service carriers generally transmit Caller ID via analog transmission, which requires a wired connection. These wired connections are expensive to install and maintain, and fewer people can use them simultaneously than when using a wireless connection.
Thus, service providers are not usually prepared to offer traditional caller ID to all customers and may charge extra if you want to use it.
Final Thoughts – Why Do Cell Phones Not Have Caller ID?
While some workarounds help you get caller ID on a cell phone, they generally don’t come with Caller ID enabled.
In most cases, caller ID requires a stable analog connection, which isn’t possible with a cell phone. Improving the network to accommodate the millions of cell phones in use would also be costly, and online options, such as VoIP, seems to be the future of cell phone caller ID.
- How Stuff Works: How does Caller ID work?
- Project Auditors: Investigative Reports: Why the robocalls keep calling
- Techopedia: Caller ID
- Tech-FAQ: Caller-ID
- Google Support: Use caller ID & spam protection
- Tech Target: What Is VoIP?
Simu za nyumbani si za kawaida kama zilivyokuwa zamani, na simu za mkononi zimetokeza utambulisho wa mpiga-simu. Hata hivyo, kwa kuwa simu za mkononi zinapaswa kuwa aina ya juu zaidi ya simu za mkononi, huenda ukajiuliza kwa nini vifaa hivyo havionyeshi sikuzote jina, mahali, na nambari ya simu ya wapiga-simu wanaokuja. Simu za mkononi hazina kitambulisho cha mpiga-simu kwa sababu hazina waya. Caller ID inahitaji uhusiano wa kituo kamili, kama habari ya wito inapita kutoka kwa mwitaji kwa mtoa huduma yako ya simu. Mawasiliano ya wireless mara chache kuchukua up wavelength kamili ya maambukizi, kufanya Caller ID inefficient kwa waendeshaji wa simu za mkononi. Katika makala hii tutazungumzia jinsi ID ya mwitaji inavyofanya kazi, aina za ID ya mwitaji zinazopatikana, na chaguzi zingine zinazopatikana kwa watu ambao wanataka ID ya mwitaji kwenye simu zao za mkononi. Pia itashughulikia kwa nini watoa huduma wengi wa simu za mkononi hawajumuishi moja kwa moja kitambulisho cha mwitaji katika mipango yao ya huduma. Je, kuna chaguo la utambulisho wa mpiga-simu kwa ajili ya simu za mkononi? Ingawa simu za mkononi zinapaswa kuwa na uwezo wa kufanya kila kitu simu ya kudumu inaweza na zaidi, bado hazitumii mara kwa mara ID za mwitaji halisi kutambua waitaji wanaokuja. Badala yake, simu za mkononi hutambua tu nambari ya mpiga-simu na mahali panapokaribia kulingana na nambari ya eneo. Kuna baadhi ya chaguzi wito ID kwa ajili ya simu za mkononi, lakini wao tofauti na jadi wito IDs. Unaweza kulipa mtoa huduma wako wa simu ili kutoa kitambulisho cha mwitaji, kutumia programu ya VoIP kupata habari kuhusu waitaji au kutumia hifadhidata ya bure ya CNAM. Kwa hiyo, hebu tuzungumze kidogo kuhusu chaguzi hizi na jinsi wanavyofanya kazi: Uliza Mtoaji wako wa Simu kwa ID ya Mwitaji kwa Simu ya Simu Huduma hizi wakati mwingine ni mdogo kwa wapiga simu wengine ambao hutumia mtoaji sawa na wewe, kama data nyingi za simu za mkononi huhifadhiwa binafsi, na waendeshaji mara chache hushiriki habari za wateja wao. Kwa hiyo, ikiwa unataka kitambulisho cha mwitaji, zungumza na mtoa huduma yako ya simu kuhusu chaguzi. Kila mtandao hufanya kazi kwa njia tofauti. Programu ya VoIP ya ID ya Wito: Programu hizi mara nyingi zinalenga biashara ambazo hufanya simu za mara kwa mara na kuruhusu watumiaji kuweka maelezo yao ya ID ya Wito. Kutumia maelezo haya, habari ya ziada kutoka anwani yako ya IP, na rasilimali nyingine za mtandaoni inaruhusu programu kwa busara kutoa jina la mwitaji, nambari ya simu, na eneo la awali. Programu hii hutumia VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) kuunganisha na mtandao wako wa wireless na kutuma mawasiliano ya simu kwa wapokeaji. Programu hizi pia zinaweza kutumia itifaki hiyo hiyo kutambua wadanganyifu wanaowezekana, kuzuia simu, na kuvuna habari kuhusu mwitaji. Programu hizi zinawakilisha siku zijazo za simu za rununu za wito, kwa kutumia mtandao badala ya mistari ya analog ya kimwili kupata CNAMs au majina ya wito. Kutumia bure CNAM chaguo si kutoa simu yako wito ID kabla ya kuchukua wito; itaruhusu kutambua wito na kujifunza zaidi kuhusu kwa nini wao ni kufikia nje na wewe kwenye tovuti. Hifadhidata za bure za CNAM kama vile Jaribio la Kitambulisho cha Mwitaji zinakuruhusu kuingia nambari ya simu kwenye kivinjari cha wavuti, kisha usome kuhusu jina linalohusiana na nambari. Vifaa hivi vya utafutaji kwa ujumla hutafuta matokeo katika orodha ya CNAM ya kati. Hata hivyo, wanaweza kuangalia kwa ajili ya akaunti nyingine za mtandao kuhusishwa na idadi, ikiwa ni pamoja na kurasa za Facebook, Google Business Pages, na Online Phone Books. Wanaweza pia kuwa na uwezo wa kupata habari kuhusu mtoa huduma wa mwitaji. Aina ya utambulisho wa mwitaji: Kwa mfano, kuna aina kadhaa za utambulisho wa mwitaji, kama vile ID ya simu ya simu, ID ya simu ya simu, na ID ya simu ya simu. Ni ujumbe mmoja wa maambukizi ambayo inaonyesha simu ya mwitaji. Simu nyingi za mkononi, simu za mkononi, na simu za mkononi hupokea habari hiyo moja kwa moja kupitia ujumbe mmoja tu unaokuja. - Jina na Nambari: Jina na nambari, au CNAM, mteja ID inahitaji ujumbe mbili: ujumbe mmoja CLID na ujumbe mmoja CNAM yenye jina la mteja. Watoa huduma za simu wanaweza kutuma ujumbe huu kupitia uhusiano wa analog au mtandao. Katika makala hii, tutaelezea aina ya jina na nambari kama <unk>Caller ID<unk> tangu ni aina ya ID ya mwitaji isiyo ya kawaida katika simu za rununu. Utambulisho wa Mwitaji Unafanyaje Kazi? Caller ID inafanya kazi kwa kuendesha nambari ya simu kutoka kwa mwitaji anayeingia kupitia hifadhidata ya nambari za zip, majina, na nambari za simu ili kupata mechi. Utaratibu huu hutokea katika ofisi kuu ya mtoa huduma ya simu, ambapo mfumo wa kiotomatiki hutuma ujumbe wa pili kuhusu kitambulisho cha mwitaji kwenye simu yako ya kudumu. Kwa hiyo, habari ya kitambulisho cha mwitaji ni tofauti kabisa na ile ambayo simu yako hupata inapopiga. Hebu tuangalie jinsi mtengenezaji wa simu anaanzisha na kutumia ID ya mwitaji: - Mtu fulani anakupigia simu. Wakati mtu anakuita, na una simu ya nyumbani na ID ya Mwitaji, wito utapiga mara moja, kusimamishwa kwa sekunde, kisha kupiga mara ya pili. Hatua zifuatazo hutukia katika wakati huo mfupi kati ya pete ya kwanza na ya pili. - Mtoa huduma wako wa simu hutengeneza kitambulisho cha mstari wa kupiga simu (CLID). Wakati wa mawasiliano ya simu, anajulikana kama Calling Line Identification (CLID), nambari ya simu ya mwitaji inakuwa ujumbe ambao kampuni ya simu inatoa kwa simu yako. Ujumbe huu inaruhusu kuona simu ya mwitaji, bila kujali kama wewe kutumia simu ya mkononi au simu ya nyumbani. - Mtoa huduma wako wa simu hutambua jina la mwitaji. Mara tu mwito unapoanza, nambari yao ya simu itaendeshwa kupitia hifadhidata ya CNAMs (jina la mwitaji) katika ofisi kuu ya shughuli za mtoa huduma wako. Mara baada ya kompyuta kutambua nambari ya simu na mtu ambaye anamiliki, wao kugeuza katika ujumbe encoded juu ya simu yako ya mkononi wito ID mpokeaji. Katika sekunde mbili au tatu, simu inasafiri maili nyingi kutoka kwa mwitaji hadi kwa mtoa huduma, ikitoa ujumbe mbili tofauti kwenye simu yako. Hii maambukizi inahitaji analogi urefu wa wimbi, na watoa huduma tu kuwa na wengi wa haya. Kwa habari zaidi kuhusu jinsi simu za mkononi zinavyofanya kazi na jinsi wanavyopokea ujumbe, unaweza kutaka kutazama video hii ya kuvutia ya YouTube kutoka Wendover Productions: Sababu za Simu za Mkono hazikuja mara nyingi na ID ya Mwitaji. Simu za mkononi Ni za Simu Kwa kuwa simu za mkononi ni za mkononi, utatumia maeneo mengi ya huduma za simu za mkononi kufanya simu. Maeneo haya, ambayo mara nyingi huitwa minara, yapo kila mahali, kwa hiyo utakuwa na huduma popote unapoenda. Hata hivyo, kufuatilia habari yako inakuwa ngumu bila mahali pa kudumu ambapo unafanya simu. Unaposafiri, waendeshaji ambao hujaribu kupata jina lako na data nyingine wanaweza kupata matokeo mabaya ikiwa hauko nyumbani. Kwa upande mwingine, landlines ni daima katika mahali moja na kutumia huduma ya simu ya nyumbani yako, kuruhusu mtoa huduma kutumia zip code yako na uratibu eneo kuthibitisha utambulisho wako. "Kama ilivyoelezwa katika makala ya ""Simu za rununu zina antena iliyojengwa ndani"" (Do Smartphones Have Built-In Antennas?) ""Kutoa ID ya Wito ni Ghali kwa Kampuni za Simu"" (Providing Caller ID Is Expensive for Phone Companies) ni moja ya njia za kuwasiliana na simu za mkononi." Hata hivyo, ili kupata mtandao wote, wanapaswa kushirikiana na kuunganisha habari za wateja wao ili kutoa vitambulisho sahihi vya mwitaji. Katika kesi nyingi, watoa huduma za simu hulipa makampuni mengine kila wakati wao <unk>dip katika<unk> database ya jina la mwitaji, ambayo inaweza kupata ghali sana kama kila mtu kutumika ID mwitaji. Kwa mfano, AT&T kwa ujumla hulipa $ 0.004 kila wakati wanatoa wapokeaji wa wito na jina la mwitaji. Kwa sababu hiyo, kutoa simu zote za mkononi na ID ya mwitaji ni isiyofaa kwa waendeshaji wengi wa simu, haswa kwa kuzingatia idadi ya watu wanaopiga simu kila siku. Data ya simu ni ghali kwa sababu kadhaa nchini Marekani. "Kama unajua, ""Kwa nini Data ya Simu ya Mkononi ni Ghali sana nchini Marekani?"" - Caller ID Inafunua Habari Yako - Kujua kwamba watu wanaosajili ID ya mwitaji wanaweza kupata jina lako, nambari, na eneo kwa kupiga simu inaweza kuwa haisumbui baadhi, lakini sio kila wakati ni bora kwa kila mtu." Wateja ambao wanataka kulinda habari zao kutoka kwa makampuni, wakusanyaji wa deni, na mwitaji mwingine yeyote wanaweza kuchagua kubaki bila kuorodheshwa katika hifadhidata ya CNAM. Kwa hiyo, watu hawa wanaweza hata kuwa na kitambulisho cha kuonyesha wakati wao kufanya wito. Watoa huduma wa simu kwa kawaida hutuma ID ya mwitaji kupitia uhamisho wa analog, ambayo inahitaji uhusiano wa waya. Kuunganisha kwa waya ni gharama kubwa, na watu wachache wanaweza kutumia wakati huo huo kuliko wakati wa kutumia uhusiano wa wireless. Kwa hivyo, watoa huduma kwa kawaida hawajajitayarisha kutoa kitambulisho cha kawaida cha mwitaji kwa wateja wote na wanaweza kulipa ziada ikiwa unataka kuitumia. Mawazo ya Mwisho <unk> Kwa Nini Simu za Mkono Hazina Kitambulisho cha Mwitaji? Wakati baadhi ya workarounds kukusaidia kupata wito ID kwenye simu ya mkononi, wao kwa ujumla si kuja na wito ID kuwezeshwa. Katika kesi nyingi, wito ID inahitaji imara analog uhusiano, ambayo si inawezekana na simu ya mkononi. Kuboresha mtandao ili kukidhi mamilioni ya simu za mkononi zinazotumiwa pia itakuwa ghali, na chaguzi za mtandaoni, kama vile VoIP, zinaonekana kuwa siku zijazo za utambulisho wa simu za mkononi. - Jinsi Mambo Kazi: Jinsi gani Caller ID kazi? "Kama ""Mafunzo ya Utafiti"" ya Google, unaweza kupata maelezo ya simu ya mkononi, kama vile ""Mafunzo ya simu ya mkononi"" na ""Mafunzo ya simu ya mkononi"" na ""Mafunzo ya simu ya mkononi"" na ""Mafunzo ya simu ya mkononi"" na ""Mafunzo ya simu ya mkononi"" na ""Mafunzo ya simu ya mkononi"" na ""Mafunzo ya simu ya simu ya mkononi."""