- Automatic number identification
Automatic Number Identification (ANI) is a feature of
telephony intelligent network services that permits subscribers to display or capture thetelephone number s of calling parties. In the United States it is part of InwardWide Area Telephone Service (WATS). The ANI service was created byAT&T for internallong distance billing purposes, and is not related to newercaller ID services. Inward WATS is purchased by customers so that other telephone users (for example, prospective customers) can call the number toll free. The customer is issued a distinctivetoll-free telephone number beginning with a specialarea code such as 800, or more recently, 888, 877, or 866. Subscribers to these numbers are typically called Inward WATS subscribers.A related piece of information conveyed to the Inward WATS subscriber is the
Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS), the number that the caller dialed when accessing the service. With the information, the service provider can have several toll-free numbers directed to the samecall center and provide unique service based on the number dialed. DNIS can also be used to identify other call routing information. For example, the WATS service can be configured to send a specific DNIS number that is assigned to callers from geographic regions based on city, area code, state, or country.ANI has two components, information digits, which identify the class of service [cite web |url=http://www.nanpa.com/number_resource_info/ani_ii_assignments.html|title=ANI II Digits|publisher=
North American Numbering Plan Administration |year=2003|accessdate=2007-07-06] , and thecalling party telephone number.ANI is also used to describe the functions of
two-way radio selective calling that identify the transmitting user.Privacy
Because ANI is unrelated to caller ID, the caller's telephone number and line type are captured by ANI equipment even if
caller ID blocking is activated. The destination telephone company switching office can relay the originating telephone number to ANI delivery services subscribers. Toll-free Inward WATS number subscribers and large companies normally have access to ANI information, either instantly via installed equipment, or from a monthly billing statement. Residential subscribers can obtain access to ANI information through third party companies that charge for the service.Automatic number announcement
Early in its history, ANI was used to provide automatic number announcement, an internal test service for telephone maintenance workers. The service was generally unknown to the public but could be accessed by dialing special numbers reserved for testing purposes.
imilar services
*Europe:
Calling Line Identification (CLI)
*UK:Caller Line Identification (CLID)
*Australia:Automatic number identification (ANI) 1800801920 or 12722123 (Telstra line only, local call cost)Notes
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.