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Showing/Hiding own number
- Thread starter ahmad b
- Start date
This isn't an Android thing though, it's a network thing. Either your network supports anonymous calling or it doesn't. If it does, then some handsets can turn this feature on through one of the menu options, BUT, all that does is simply dial a network code or prefix number to tell the network to hide your number.
The GSM code is usually #31#XXXXXXX where XXXXXXX is the number you want to dial. Or to make it display *31#XXXXXXX. To check the status of it just dial *#31# on its own. You can often turn it on or off for all future numbers by dialling just the code on its own without the XXXXXXX.
If you're on a CDMA, tdMA, or iDEN phone it's usually *67XXXXXXX to hide, *30#XXXXXXX to display, and *#30# to check.
While the above work on most GSM and CDMA networks, the code is network specific. Try calling your landline or another mobile to see.
The GSM code is usually #31#XXXXXXX where XXXXXXX is the number you want to dial. Or to make it display *31#XXXXXXX. To check the status of it just dial *#31# on its own. You can often turn it on or off for all future numbers by dialling just the code on its own without the XXXXXXX.
If you're on a CDMA, tdMA, or iDEN phone it's usually *67XXXXXXX to hide, *30#XXXXXXX to display, and *#30# to check.
While the above work on most GSM and CDMA networks, the code is network specific. Try calling your landline or another mobile to see.
Of course you can turn on and off caller ID as you suggest... however this is really a pain in the %&* when you only want to apply to specific contacts.
As the OP described, Windows Mobile (although it is a heap of junk) has the simple but effective capability of allowing your own number to be withheld from non-contacts, or vise versa I believe. I may be wrong, but Andriod doesn't seem to have this capability?
This is a very useful fuction for my work use and seems to be the one big thing wondows mobile has over Android.
As the OP described, Windows Mobile (although it is a heap of junk) has the simple but effective capability of allowing your own number to be withheld from non-contacts, or vise versa I believe. I may be wrong, but Andriod doesn't seem to have this capability?
This is a very useful fuction for my work use and seems to be the one big thing wondows mobile has over Android.
baby girl born 9/8/09 =)
New member
To only withhold it from a specific contact, just add the prefix to the number in the contact.
Android doesn't have a feature to withhold it from non-contacts though.
I still don't understand this. If you call someone surely they'll know who you are when they answer? If they don't answer, you can leave a voicemail and they'll still know who it is. If you don't want to leave a voicemail then is the call really that important? So withholding your number is sort of a moot point surely? If anyone calls me and withholds their number I simply don't answer. Android DOES, however, have a feature to automatically send withheld numbers straight to voicemail.
Android doesn't have a feature to withhold it from non-contacts though.
I still don't understand this. If you call someone surely they'll know who you are when they answer? If they don't answer, you can leave a voicemail and they'll still know who it is. If you don't want to leave a voicemail then is the call really that important? So withholding your number is sort of a moot point surely? If anyone calls me and withholds their number I simply don't answer. Android DOES, however, have a feature to automatically send withheld numbers straight to voicemail.
To help you understand the big need for such capability, and I imagine is a similar situation requirement for OP....
I have many casual employees that I need to call regulary while I am out and about and on the road etc. I do not want any of these contacts to call me back on my mobile, as they are quite often unimportant and better delt with at other levels in the company. I.e. I want to call them without them being able to freely call me back by calling from their missed call list etc.
So it is not a matter the caller not knowing who it is, but more a matter of certain people that I call not having my number to freely call me as they choose. So as OP originally pointed out, is mainly for privacy.
Also your suggestion of putting a suffix in front of each number in the contacts is a waste of time and then we have issues with syncing and also caller ID and sms issues so is not an option.
I have many casual employees that I need to call regulary while I am out and about and on the road etc. I do not want any of these contacts to call me back on my mobile, as they are quite often unimportant and better delt with at other levels in the company. I.e. I want to call them without them being able to freely call me back by calling from their missed call list etc.
So it is not a matter the caller not knowing who it is, but more a matter of certain people that I call not having my number to freely call me as they choose. So as OP originally pointed out, is mainly for privacy.
Also your suggestion of putting a suffix in front of each number in the contacts is a waste of time and then we have issues with syncing and also caller ID and sms issues so is not an option.
In terms of your last sentence... Waste of time and issues with syncing? If you add the number again to the contact, but with the suffix, so that you have both their normal number and the "withhold my number" version of it in the contact, then caller ID and SMS will still work fine as the phone will find the original number. When you call them you can just select the number with the prefix on it if you wish to withhold your number at that time. If not, you can call using the original number - so this way you get a selectable choice just like with phones that have this feature.
thanks for the time and ideas - but you have got no idea how much hassle that would be. Myself and other managers in the office deal with too many contacts a number of contacts and calls.
I may have actually stumbled across a fix for this with Andriod. I will post tomorrow, and if I can, I'll cross check with you guys to see if it is indeed workable.
Thanks for the replies.
I may have actually stumbled across a fix for this with Andriod. I will post tomorrow, and if I can, I'll cross check with you guys to see if it is indeed workable.
Thanks for the replies.
Joe Cooker
New member
someone on here just does not quite get it...