AboutSpencer Holcombe Expertise Hi, thanks for checking me out, I have several years in the telecom industry, working for Pacific Telephone,American Bell,AT&T,AT&T Communications,AT&T Information Systems, and Pacific Bell-SBC. I can answer most questions regarding Telephones,wiring,jacks,PBX, Local and Long Distance,Billing,Custom calling services, Customer Service,and Fraud. I can`t answer Cellular questions.
Expert: Spencer Holcombe Date: 2/13/2007 Subject: Phone Caller ID Problem
Question Spencer said: "If your local friends and called parties say YOUR name appears, it's not AT&T in your area with the problem..."
Thanks very much, Spencer, for your advice. However, I am still perplexed. It's divided. Some of my local callers see "John Jones"; some see MY name. AT&T had me call one of their offices in Cleveland. MY name appeared. My sister, who is in the same city as I am, and works for a major hospital in my area, always saw MY name when I called with the old number. When my number changed six months ago, I suddenly became "John Jones." It's still the same hospital with the same Phone Provider. When I phone a friend of mine who lives in my same city, whose Phone Provider is Sage Telecom, MY name comes up. My brother, in Florida, who has had Sprint as a provider for over ten years -- always saw MY name in Caller ID with my previous number. Now, with my new number (same Phone Provider), he sees "John Jones." I still don't understand why Sprint kept its Database up to date before, but doesn't now. The only thing that's changed is my phone number.
I'm afraid I still don't get it. No Phone Providers have changed -- not for me, nor for my sister at the local major hospital in my area, nor for my brother, in Florida. The only thing that changed was my phone number. Sorry, I just don't understand. Thanks, anyway. Alida
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The text above is a follow-up to ...
-----Question-----
I had to change my phone number due to harassing calls. Since getting the new phone number (six months ago), when I call the same people I always called, instead of MY name appearing on recipients' Caller ID, the name of the person who previously had my number appears. Recently, I phoned my brother in another state and he would not pick up the phone because his Caller ID showed that a "John Jones" was calling. A year and a half ago, I moved from New York to Ohio. I received a new phone number, which I had for about a year. No problem with MY ID appearing when I called people. Because of harassing phone calls I had to change the number. Since getting the new number six months ago, the very same people I used to call without a problem seeing my own name -- now say that I appear as "John Jones."
The reason for my question is that for six months I've been trying to get the situation fixed with my Phone Svce Provider, AT&T. They keep telling me that the reason this is happening is because the Phone Svce Providers of the people I call need to update their Databases.
MY QUESTION: Why -- for a year with the original number -- I didn't have this problem? The people I call haven't changed. Their Phone Svce Providers have not changed. The only thing that's changed is the phone number.
I cannot understand AT&T's explanation. Is what they're saying right? Or, do they have a glitch in their system which they can't fix and are they giving me the runaround?
PLEASE HELP! Thanks.
-----Answer-----
Alida,
Although every phone company has to update their records, call AT&T again and ask that THEY request it be done. You can also have your brother and others call their local company and request it as well. The reason it's happening is because the records are outdated in one or more of the chain of data being sent, either at your end or along the way to your called numbers. If your local friends and called parties say YOUR name appears, it's not AT&T in your area with the problem, and concentrate on your brothers local provider. Spencer
Answer Alida,
IT's NOT your NAME it's the number. Records go by telephone number and that is what needs to be updated. The updates are issued by computer and sent out to various offices, it's then THAT office/companies job that receives it to update THEIR computer data base. I'll try to make it easy for you: you change YOUR NUMBER, your local company updates their records and all your local friends see your name on their caller id box. However, your new number still shows as belonging to "john doe" at other companies that haven't updated their number data base, so when you call your brother from your new number it shows as john doe calling him instead of HIS SISTER. That company needs to update their records so it will show your name, not "john doe". This normaly occurs automaticaly, so there's a glitch in the record updating system that is preventing your update from going thru.
Spencer
