Caller identification, also known as caller display or CLI (Caller ID), is a telephone feature that allows the caller's number to be displayed on the recipient's screen. However, there are certain restrictions and issues associated with this feature. Here are some of the main limitations of caller identification:
Incorrect or falsified display (spoofing): Malicious callers may use techniques to hide or alter the phone number displayed on the recipient's screen. This can lead to situations where the displayed number does not match the caller's real identity. New standards such as STIR/SHAKEN (in North America) are being gradually implemented to fight this phenomenon by authenticating the caller's identity.
Incompatibility between networks: In some cases, especially with international calls or between different telecommunication networks, caller identification may not work properly or may not be supported.
Anonymity: Some people may choose to hide their phone number when making calls, which means that the recipient will not see their number displayed.
Blocking or filtering caller identification: Users can configure their phones to block or filter calls coming from unknown or unidentified numbers. In addition, many smartphones and anti-spam applications now integrate databases of fraudulent numbers to automatically identify and filter suspicious calls.
Undisplayed numbers: In some cases, phone numbers are not displayed for reasons of confidentiality or network configuration.
Technical issues: Telecommunication systems may encounter technical problems that prevent the correct display of caller identification.
Group calls: When calls are made from telecommunication systems such as call centers, a single number may be displayed for the whole group, which may not reflect the individual numbers of the group members.
Legislation and regulation: In some jurisdictions, there may be rules and regulations regarding the display of caller identification, particularly for commercial or telemarketing calls. In Europe for instance, operators are now required to block suspicious numbers (e.g., unauthorized short codes or foreign numbers impersonating a local identity).
It is important to note that technologies are evolving and that new methods to improve caller identification and mitigate these restrictions are constantly being developed. Authentication protocols such as STIR/SHAKEN, intelligent filtering, and strengthened legal obligations are recent examples. However, due to the complex nature of the telephone network and the challenges related to security and privacy, some limitations may persist.