OK, What is ANI ?
ANI or Automatic Number Identification is a mechanism by which the different telephone companies determine what account is to be charged for a call, This information is passed between Telcos and was originally for billing purposes and predated both SS7 (Signaling System 7) and (C)LASS (Local Area Signaling Services was the original AT&T designations, the “C” was added by Bellcore after divesture) services which make CNID or Calling Number IDentification as Caller-ID is more properly known, possible. Since the Telcos had ANI, the decision was made to make it available to authorized parties such as 911 service and law enforcement agencies. ANI is also used to let a Telco operator know who is calling. More recently, ANI is used to report to 800 and 900 subscribers, who made the calls they have received, in the first case so that the 800 subscriber knows who the charge is for, and so that 900 number subscribers know who to charge. Thus while ANI is similar to CALLER-ID and may provide the
ANI or Automatic Number Identification is a method by which the different telephone companies determine what account is to be charged for a call. This information is passed between Telcos systems and was originally for billing purposes and predated both SS7 (Signaling System 7) and (C)LASS (Local Area Signaling Services was the original AT&T designation, the “C” was added by Bellcore after divestiture) services. That makes CNID or Calling Number IDentification (or Caller ID) possible. Since the Telcos had ANI, the decision was made to make it available to authorized parties such as 911 service and state security services. ANI is also used to let a Telco operator know who is calling. More recently, ANI is used to report to so called 800 and 900 subscribers, who made the calls they have received. Thus the 800 number subscribers know who the charge is for, and 900 number subscribers know whom to charge. Thus while ANI is similar to Caller ID and may provide the same information, they are
