Solving Caller ID Detection Problems

There are several systems of providing Caller ID information. The two main ones (and the only ones CallURL boards support) are FSK and DTMF. You will need to determine the type you are using. Your telephone service provider can supply this information for you.

If your system fails to detect Caller ID then there are several checks to do to determine the issue.

  1. The most obvious check to make is that your telephone system provider supplies CallerID information. Generally you must subscribe to this for an additional fee.
  2. Additionaly, your hardware must be capable of decoding the Caller ID information and not all modems and boards can. The boards we recommend (https://www.nch.com.au/ivm/modems.html#ABE) made by CallURL and Dialogic do support Caller ID. Please note Caller Name support is more limited and CallURL does not support this on their current boards.
  3. Caller ID information is supplied between the first and second rings so your software must wait for at least 2 rings before answering. If using IVM Answering Attendant, you can configure this in Settings. Select the 'General' tab and set the number of rings to 2 or more (preferably the default 3).
  4. PABX systems commonly filter out Caller ID information so a normal extension on a PABX will not receive data. You will normally need a line connected to an analogue port (ie. a purely external line).
  5. If you are using a Dialogic voice board change the Dialogic setup item "Report Call" to 3 which gives the Caller ID enough time to work.
  6. Caller ID information can be filtered out when calls are received from outside your area code. This can depend on your phone system provider .
  7. Poor phone lines can corrupt the information resulting in the caller id information being erratically displayed.
  8. Some phone providers only supply the phone number and do not provide caller name information.
  9. Most hardware only supports DTMF and FSK types of Caller ID. Ensure your hardware supports the same Caller ID as your telephone provider supplies.
CallURL Boards

To check the settings for CallURL boards

  1. Exit your Application (IVM for example)
  2. Run the CallURL Line Detector, for the Start Menu, group Easy Tapi and then the program 'Line Detector'. If you get an error 'Cannot Allocate Channel' this indicates the application is still running, or another application using the board. Please check and exit the program.
  3. There is a pull-down listing channel (ie each phone line connected to the card). Select the first channel (Channel 1).
  4. Go to the Settings menu, TAPI Settings option and check the value for Caller ID. Ensure it matches the system you use.
  5. Repeat for all channels
  6. Re-boot (needed if you are running as a service)
  7. Re-run your application
If you did have to change the setting then you have found your problem and IVM should now work correctly.

Other Boards and Modems

The settings vary widely from device to device and you will need to determine the settings for your particular device. Please let us know so we can update this guide with details.

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