atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information CLI Outbound Name on PRI

Today I has a potential client ask me to for a system that would control his outbound Caller ID. My sales guy was proposing NEC Aspire, which supports custom CLI on PRI calls per station or trunk. So the sales guy says 'Sure, it does that' (like he was really going to say anything else).

When the customer and I get down to details, it gets more complicated. They have about 80 users in 4 different companies on this switch. They have one PRI with 3 DID ranges of 100 numbers each. He wants to be able to assign a company name to the outgoing caller ID as well as a number. Evidentally, he has a high turn over rate, as well as employes getting transferred from one company indentity to another with little warning. Their customer must not know that they companies are affiliated for some reason that I did not catch.

Naturally, as a tech guy, I told him that it don't do that. (Please imagine horrified sales guy at this point). I explain that I can only control the outbound number, and the telco controls the name. This is not good enough for the customer. He insists that he has to have this ability. I told him his best bet was to have the telco build a table of numbers associated with company names in the CO switch. He doesn't like this either. He then pushes to get us to commit to managing this database of names and numbers on his behalf with his telco (SBC in this case). I run screaming from the building.

Thus backed into the corner, I told him that no PBX that I was aware of had the ability to push outbound CID name to the telco, only number. I've done some light research into ISDN signaling and cannot tell one way or the other. Did I lie to this guy? Do any of you know of a PBX or key system or hybrid IP thingy that can do this?

Take your sales guy out back and shoot him. If he is a lawyer.. they are in season. Ask him if he goes to his neighbors house and makes a call does it show his name? You can manipulate the number ONLY.

Last system I knew of that could do what that client asked for was called the Hocus Pocus . I think they went under due to lack of referals . You might be able to jury rig some sort of E911 software to display different names with numbers

All I can really suggest, and it won't be cheap (equipment and circuit-wise), is to get multiple partial PRIs, where each circuit is assigned a different name. I think that's the best you can do.

as far as I know you can only do name. You may be able to have multiple billing numbers set up with the carries and have different names for them, buT it will probally start to get quit pricey for the csr.

I wonder if Barbara over in Telephone Service (https://www.sundance-communications.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/ubb/forum/f/33.html) would be able to give you some ideas. Maybe she's seen something that's worked for a case like this. Personally, I've seen this before, and we always end up telling the customer that the telco won't let you assign names, enhanced alternate routing, etc. based on DID; it's always based on circuit. Anyway, try posting a link to this topic over in her forum and see if she can help. It's worth a try.

Thanks to all for your input.

I'd love to shoot him, but I appear to be a poor sales person so he knows he's safe.

I know how to solve it, easy as pie, guaranteed.

What is his budget for equipment?

What is his budget for monthly recurring charges?

What is the calling pattern, mostly inbound, even, mostly outbound?

Approximate number of total minutes per month?

Which manufacturers equipment are you comfortable installing?

Approximate number of inbound callers at busiest time?

You might want to check with Tone Commander (800-524-0024). They make an E911 unit that installs in-line between the PBX and the circuit. It's designed to insert the appropriate information for off-premise users so the calls go to the correct 911 dispatcher. I don't see how they can do this, but I think it works. Give them a call and see what they can do. Oh, and by the way, the pricing isn't bad at all for it.

"as far as I know you can only do NAME. You may be able to have multiple billing numbers set up with the carrier and have different names for them, buT it will probally start to get quit pricey for the csr. "


that should read number....not name... sorry