Privacy Director, a new service from BellSouth, will screen incoming calls from Caller ID-blocked or private numbers. Consumers using the service, which works hand in hand with Caller ID Deluxe, will have the option of screening, blocking, or accepting these calls. Often, calls originating from call centers show up on Caller ID boxes as “Caller Unknown”.
When a caller has a blocked or unknown number, Privacy Director service answers the call and gives the caller the option of identifying himself. If he refuses, the phone doesn’t ring at the BellSouth customer’s home. If the callers identify themselves, the phone rings and Privacy Director tells the customer who is calling. The customer then has the option of answering the call, ignoring the call, or sending phone solicitors a sales reject message. The service enables a private caller to press “1” to unblock their number and complete the call or to record their name and keep their number private.
The Privacy Director software was created in collaboration with Lucent Technologies Communications Software Unit, who also created the intelligent network hardware. Privacy Director will roll-out throughout the BellSouth nine-state region next year.
