Re: Caller ID
 

I retained my BT number when I switched to NTL and paid a £20 porting charge, which I understood to be the cost for linking BT equipment in the local exchange to NTL equipment in such a way that my calls are received on BT equipment in the exchange abd tranferred across to be dealt with by NTL equipment.

Given that the BT equipment can pick up Caller ID, why is it not possible for that information to be passed to the NTL equipment and on to the customer?

I understand that the problem arises from the kind of switches used. Is it not possible to have certain parts of NTL areas to be upgraded with a long term view of upgrading the rest when finances permit?

Re: Caller ID
 

What actually happens is that the call is automatically routed from BT to NTL at the local exchange as any call to NTL would be.

The CallerID information is passed on to NTL by BT. What happens then is it gets routed through the NTL equipment to your local street cabinet via optic fibre where it then gets sent to your house via wire. If any of that equipment does not support CalllerID then that does not arrive at your phone.

Certian parts of NTL support CallerID in whole, certain parts partially and some not at all. As the older equipemnt dies it will be upgraded with newer stuff that will probably support CallerID so it will take a long time to upgrade everybody.

Re: Caller ID
 

Thanks for that, Bob. Any idea what kind of timescale we are talking about here please?

Re: Caller ID
 

Theoretically probably years, NTL can't afford to update equipment until it fails so you could be unlucky in that equipment in your local exchange may not fail for quite some time to come.

Re: Caller ID
 

Cheers, Paul. I kinda guessed as much.I'm in South Manchester so I doubt if it's likely to happen any time soon.

Re: Caller ID
 

Agreed! Also, it may not be just one piece of equipment that needs upgrading.

Re: Caller ID
 

Depends on age of equipment and the load on it I would suspect. Some areas have been cabled for years (pre-NTL) and to be honest it wasn't NTLs fault that many cannot get caller ID, it's just their problem to try and replace the equipment as they go along.

Re: Caller ID
 

Well it says on the website we can get it here - so I've just rung CS to find if it is available. The nice young lady checked and said yes - it's available - I'll just enable it on your digital TV!!!!!!! :rofl:
I had to explain exactly what it was, and the fact that I don't have ntl TV. Then she said no, it's being trialled in the South East at the moment but there are no plans for it to be made available here in the forseeable future. (RM13 area, Essex)

Re: Caller ID
 

I've been waiting for caller ID for about 7 years now - what's the problem ? BT have offered it for over a decade. Perhaps Worthing in Sussex (where there is a lot of cable) are just plain ignored ! !

Re: Caller ID
 

In order to get Caller I.D,the Linecards in the Mux (large street cabs) need to be upgraded to CLI Linecards.These hold up to 30 channels (30 seperate phone lines) These cards can be over £1000 each & most areas should have them by now.It's a very labour intensive job & cant be done by flicking a switch.
With some cities like Belfast having over 100 Mux's & up to 10 Line cards per Mux,well you do the math.
Spike

Re: Caller ID
 

I rang them and asked about having caller I.D put on (bought a new phone specially for it) and was told by a ntl guy "No chance" https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2005/10/8.gif ...Im sure that's not meant to be the official statement https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2005/10/3.gif but I got the message https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2005/07/26.gif

So is it a nono never ever chance of getting it? https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2005/09/21.gif

Re: Caller ID
 

It is probably more likely that we will all be using VoIP before they upgrade the PTSN.

Re: Caller ID
 

BT are really rubbing it in now - not only do they offer Caller ID, they've announced that it's totally free :tu:

http://www.bt.com/btprivacy/


(all you have to do is actually make calls via BT, though I expect you probably get away with one a month or something).

Re: Caller ID
 

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2005/09/21.gif I dont know what that means https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2005/08/13.gif

Re: Caller ID
 

I would hazard a guess that he is saying that most people will be using voice over internet protocol (Phone calls via the internet basically) before NTL get round to upgrading the necessary hardware to allow caller ID to be available in all areas.