Slashdot Mirror
Facebook's "Hello" Tells You Who's Calling Before You Pick Up
Mark Wilson writes: When you receive a call you'll usually see the number of the caller, but this may not be helpful in identifying them before you decide whether to pick up. Facebook's answer to this problem is Hello. This new app comes from the Facebook Messenger team and aims to tell you more about the person getting in touch with you even if you don't have their number saved in your address book. Currently available for Android, the dialer app also allows for the blocking of calls from individuals.
Because the corporations who started off using these call centers got exemptions to be able to spoof it,
Corporations who run telemarketing call centers didn't have to get an exemption to spoof calling number id services, they simply used the existing mechanisms available to all users of bulk phone services.
Corporations who have their own PBXs have always had a need to be able to specify the calling number ID of their outgoing calls. Those who have multiple outgoing lines often want to have a unified, common outgoing caller id sent that points to their main incoming number.
As for Facebook being able to help out, that's only for people who have told Facebook their phone number. If you're stupid enough to do that, you deserve to have all your data sent to anyone you call. The solution is simple: don't call people you don't want to know who is calling.
And here's another tidbit: you think you suppress your caller id when you call a business, but if you call their toll-free number they get it anyway. They're paying for the call, they get the data.
At least with google it works reasonably well (even outside the US) without having to install another layer of poop in my phone. Was surprised to see my bank name showing up on an incoming call.
Our PBX lets us specify the Caller ID for any extension. However if we attempt to use a number not in our DDI range BT will clip the Caller ID to our main number. Any legitimate telecoms provider should do this to prevent spoofing. The same goes for *some* of the SIP providers I've talked to - they need proof of ownership of the DDI before they will allow you to set the Caller ID, however I imagine it's fairly easy to get around.