CNAM (“Calling NAMe”) is an Intelligent Network (IN) service that displays a caller’s name on a digital readout. It is very similar to caller ID except that both the caller’s name and the calling number are displayed on the receiving end of the phone call. This feature only works if the person or organization being called subscribes to the CNAM feature through their local mobile or TELECOM provider. How does the CNAM Feature Work? The CNAM feature improves on traditional caller ID technology in that it transmits and displays the Read More

ANI (Automatic Number Identification) is a system utilized by telephone companies to identify the DN (Directory Number) of a calling subscriber. Automatic number identification permits subscribers to capture or display caller’s telephone number. This feature was developed by AT&T, and it should not be confused with new caller ID services. AT&T developed this feature for internal long distance billing. ANI technology is also offered to commercial customers who may benefit from knowing who is calling them. In addition, ANI is one of the core technologies behind the 911 emergency service. Read More

War dialing, also called scanning, is dialing a large number of telephone numbers in the hope of finding anything interesting. Interesting items often include test tones, computers, Voice Mail Boxes (VMB's), Private Branch Exchanges (PBX's), and government offices. A common technique is to find one telephone number owned by a target and then to war dial the entire prefix which that number belongs to. For example, if your target is the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., you would dial every number starting with (202)328. That's ten thousand numbers. War dialing Read More

Always test as much as possible before relying on any technique to block Caller-ID. Some of these methods to block Caller-ID work in some areas, but not in others. Block Caller-ID For a Single Call Using a LASS Code Dial *67 before you dial the number. (141 in the United Kingdom) Block Caller-ID On All Outgoing Calls Dial your local telephone company and have them add Caller-ID block to your line. If you use this method to block Caller-ID, you will have to dial *82 before every call for which Read More

Softswitch, a resounding term in telephony solutions, is the concept of connecting two lines or feeds together entirely through the use of software. A softswitch can also refer to the actual device that is situated in a telephone network that processes data transmissions. The word "Softswitch" is hardly ever used anymore but refers to the same device as a Media Gateway Controller or an Access Gateway Control Function (AGCF). A softswitch is used to replace the old method of connecting telephone lines manually that required large staffs and expensive switchboards. Read More

With the expansion of Voice over IP and cellular phone technologies over the past decade, it has never been more cheaper to call international phone numbers. A common barrier for consumers trying to call friends, family, or business contacts that live abroad is determining how to dial international phone numbers from your country. International Dialing  Instructions from North America (United States and Canada) If you are located in the United States or Canada, you will call most other countries using the following dialing convention: 011 – Country Code – Phone Read More

When a Blackberry phone is produced, it is assigned a unique PIN (personal identificaiton number) that identifies each BlackBerry device. The PIN number is also used to ensure that email identified for transmittal to the account(s) on the device is delivered to the proper location by the email server. BlackBerry Pin numbers are different from the Electronic Serial Numbers (ESN) that are assigned to the phones in that ESN's are tracked by the company selling the BlackBerry phone (or reseller), while PIN numbers are tracked by BlackBerry wireless providers. BlackBerry Read More

GoPhone is the trademark used by AT&T/Cingular to market their pay as you go cell phones. Most customers will eventually want to switch to a more normal post-pay cell phone plan, and many of them will want to take their cell phones with them. Unfortunately, the GoPhones are "subsidy locked." This means that the GoPhones can only be used on the AT&T/Cingular network — until you enter an unlock code. Unlocking GoPhones AT&T/Cingular will tell you the unlock code for your GoPhone, but only under certain specific conditions. These conditions Read More

Caller ID is a telephone service that provides the caller’s phone number and name to the receiver. This data is either displayed on the phone itself or on a caller ID box that is attached to the phone. Most phone providers charge a small fee for this service. It helps people to identify prank callers, telemarketers, and other undesirable callers before picking up the phone. Not surprisingly, caller ID is not a 100% reliable as it can be fooled. What is Caller ID Spoofing? Caller ID spoofing is the act Read More

As millions of people all around the world use cell phones on a daily basis, it is only logical that cell phones go missing from time to time. The problem with losing a cell phone rather than some other object, however, is that they have become essential to modern communication. Many people, in fact, have even disconnected their landline phones and replaced them with one or more cell phones. There are many different methods that you can use to locate a lost cell phone but not every method is right Read More