Caller ID not giving the name

ErnieLane
ErnieLane Posts: 4 Spectator
edited May 2023 in Digital Phone

My Caller ID almost never provides the name of the caller: it almost always says "unavailable," and sometimes says "wireless caller," a city name, nthe number, and a few other things. Does anyone else have this problem with their landline? This is both the Caller ID on the phone's screen and announced, and as shown on the TV.

Best Answer

  • William_M
    William_M Posts: 1,021 ✅ Verified Employee Moderator
    Answer ✓

    Hi @ErnieLane!

    Caller ID can only show you a name if the phone number is listed on a CNAM (Caller ID Name) database. Even if it is, the caller can still choose to keep the phone number or name private when placing a call. Wireless Caller would be someone calling from a mobile phone and unavailable is anyone else without information in the database. Unfortunately as individuals become more likely to only have a mobile phone instead of a landline, and more concerned with their privacy, caller ID may be less reliable at identifying who is calling.

Answers

  • Satch
    Satch Posts: 5,273 Contributor

    Hello @ErnieLane Welcome to the Community!

    How long has this been happening? Do any calls come up as normal with a name and a number? Are friends and family calls also coming up as "Unavailable." The "Wireless Caller" is a normal condition, where the person with cellular services has opted not to have their name displayed on caller ID.

    Any recent changes to your account? This would include service changes or equipment upgrades?

    I would try unplugging your modem for at least one minute. Than plug it back in and allow it to reboot, and after the reboot see if anything has changed.

    What is the make and model number of your modem? There is a known issue where an update happened, and one of the modems, ET2251 does not register the correct caller ID data. The solution is to replace the modem. But, this problem is not in all areas, and in some areas, this model modem still works fine. That has been reported here:

    Try the above troubleshooting steps first and report back.

    Satch

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