Caller ID

GCI Caller ID gives you more control of your telephone by letting you know who is calling you before you pick up the phone.

Features and Benefits

If you have a special display telephone with Caller ID display capacity or a Caller ID box hooked up to your telephone, Caller ID shows you the name and number of the person who is calling before you answer the phone, so you can choose which calls to pick up and which to return at a more convenient time. Since you get a record of all calls that have come in while you were out, you can tell at a glance who's called before you wade through the messages on your voice mail or answering machine.

With Caller ID, you simply have more control over your life and your time

How Caller ID Works

With Caller ID, you are able to see the name and number of the person calling after the first ring. However, if the caller has blocked delivery of their name and number or if the call comes from out of the area, it will not be displayed.

A telephone or display box that supports Caller ID is needed to display the name and phone number of the call coming in before you pick up the phone.

Caller ID Frequently Asked Questions

What is Caller ID?
Caller ID lets you know who's calling even before you pick up the phone. This service allows you to see the date, time, name and phone number of direct-dialed local and long distance calls before you answer the telephone. Caller ID reveals this information in a special display unit that attaches to your telephone or on a specially designed phone that has the display built in. The memory in the display unit is programmed to store the name and number, as well as the date and time of the call. This way if you're not home or don't want to answer the phone, the stored numbers will permit you to return calls. However, if the calling party's number is blocked, their name and number will not be displayed or stored by the Caller ID device.

Why would a small business person want Caller ID services?
Caller ID provides the user with complete control over the telephone. It protects you from annoying and solicitous telephone calls; it eliminates unnecessary disruptions during precious family time; and it offers piece of mind to singles, working parents, seniors, and people with disabilities.

What if I don't want my name or telephone number displayed when I call someone?
GCI is aware of the privacy issues associated with Caller ID and has implemented several important safeguards to protect the consumer. A universal safeguard to protect a caller's anonymity is Per Call Block. Per Call Block is a universal feature which lets any caller block the number displays on a call-by-call basis. Per Call Block is available on all phones. Anyone can access the per-call blocking feature by dialing *67 and the number of the person they are calling -- the caller does not have to be a Caller ID subscriber. Per Call Block delivers the message "Anonymous" or "Private."

What is the difference between Per Call Block and Per Line Blocking?
Per Call Block is a universal feature which lets any caller block the name and number display on a call-by-call basis. Per Call Block is available on all phones. Anyone can access the per-call blocking feature by dialing *67 and then the number they are calling. Per Call Block delivers the message "Anonymous" or "Private".

Per Line Blocking is a service that enables callers to conceal their name and number on all outgoing calls. You can unblock your line for individual calls by pressing *82.

What are the limitations of Blocking?
Blocking does not limit outbound calls -- your number will show up as "Anonymous" or "Private" to Caller ID subscribers. However, if you have a "Block the Blocker" display unit, blocked calls will go to an intercept recording. All other calls will complete as before.

Calls to national 800, 888 or 976 numbers as well as 911 will always receive the number.

What is Anonymous Call Rejection?
Anonymous Call Rejection, will automatically stop all incoming calls from callers who have blocked their numbers. Callers will hear a message stating that the party they are calling does not accept anonymous calls. There is no charge for this service.

If I subscribe to Anonymous Call Rejection can I ever receive an anonymous call?
Yes. Anonymous Call Rejection allows the flexibility to turn the service on or off by dialing a code. The code is available upon subscription to the service.

What if I call from a telephone that has a non-published or unlisted number? Will the number still appear on the Caller ID display unit?
Yes, it will. Callers not wanting to reveal non-published or unlisted numbers must activate Per Call Block to conceal non-published or unlisted numbers.

Can Caller ID equipment be hooked up to any phone? If so, how?
Yes, the display units work with any standard telephone. The unit gets plugged into the wall jack and the telephone is plugged into the unit. This allows the number and the name to get passed from the line into the display. Once you have Caller ID service on your line, you can add a display unit onto any phone connected with that line.

What does it mean when my display unit says "Anonymous" or "Private"?
"Anonymous" or "Private" means the caller has activated Caller ID Blocking.

What does it mean when my display unit says "Unavailable" or "Out of Area"?
Both of these messages mean that the switch is not sending the caller's number. The switch may not be capable or SS7 connectivity is broken somewhere on the call's path.

Do international calls display?
Some numbers will display, such as Canada, as will some calls from Mexico if they follow the North American numbering plan. Numbers from other countries show up as "Unavailable" or "Out of Area."

Can ATU customers see who is calling if the call is from a GCI customer and vice-versa?
Yes, as a result of an FCC order, all SS7 connections must send the numbers, but must also honor an indication for blocking.

When I call a business, are they using Caller ID to capture my telephone number for future use?
Most businesses that use Caller ID are small independent businesses; for example, your local pizza shop may use Caller ID to serve you more quickly or verify your order. Larger companies that want to create telemarketing lists tend to use 800 and 888 numbers instead.