Caller identification for SkypeOut now available for some countries
Yesterday, we finally quietly rolled out an update to our systems that’s been among the most anticipated ones for the past, oh, two years or so.
If you have a SkypeIn number in one of the permitted countries, you can now choose to show this number as your “Caller ID” when calling other people with SkypeOut.
I like this update because it’s done in the classic “Skype style”. It’s easy to use and just works. All you have to do is to go to [Your Account](http://www.skype.com/go/myaccount) and then look for the “Caller Identification” bit. Click the “Change” link to set it up. See also the [FAQ](http://www.skype.com/go/help.faq.cli) for more information.
The prompts say that activation may take some time. At least when I tried yesterday with some colleagues, it worked fairly instantly. When I called my Estonian mobile with SkypeOut, my Estonian SkypeIn number happily showed up as the caller.
There’s one downside. It’s a pretty complicated area where our legal people continue to be busy working with our partners and governments, and it boils down to this: Caller ID is available only for some “SkypeIn countries”. As of this writing, you can use your SkypeIn number as SkypeOut caller ID if the number is from UK, Sweden, Denmark, Japan, Hong Kong, Estonia and Poland. There are some other countries where you cannot currently use SkypeIn number as SkypeOut caller ID. And this list will continue changing. You can always get the most up-to-date information simply by going to Your Account page and seeing what’s the current situation there.
Since this is a server-side update, it works regardless of what platform or device you are using for SkypeOut. It may be the Skype for Windows desktop client, it may be a cordless Skype phone or even a WiFi phone. All you have to do is simply go online and configure it once in Your Account, and then it works.
Wow what a bunch of time I wasted trying to activate my caller id when it’s not even available in the U.S. Like others I kept getting the FAQ and trying to do it, different browsers etc. until I FINALLY found this blog. Skype wake up and tell people the limitations, it’s better than wasting our time trying to figure it out.
The limitation of no callerId in the USA should be displayed on FAQ page at a minimum – I spent a lot of time trying to determine why my account page did not have a “Setup” option, and happened to find this page via Google. Very poor information on the website.
I’m going to echo most of the sentiments above; wasting time trying to find this information, failing to find it with Skype’s search service, resorting to Google, then the same frustration in not seeing it clearly available (or not) in the US, and the thing that’s most important for my clients–which decides whether or not I recommend this product–is HOW CallerID will look to customers; we need to be able to specify originating text AND number, and I can’t find out if that’s possible. Realizing that making it function is a combination technical/legal issue that carries its complications…it should be easier to find on the site.
After a couple of hours of pulling together the information from all over the site, it is frustrating to find a showstopper like this, having run into several pages where it *should* have been available. I hope that someone reviewing these messages will take a moment to look at this from customer perspectives (and in this case a customer trying to bring Skype to entire companies) and just try finding the information for some very basic questions on your site…with the harried patience of someone who has to meet deadlines.
Another comment — author (and Skype team) responses are NOT easy to find; one update that I think would be a *huge* benefit for the rest of us is somehow offset Skype comments from ours; a simple DIV tag and some CSS to give your comments a different background would let us quickly zip down these long streams to see what you have to say about the issues…especially when some are updates to the original article text.
Ok…now I feel like I’m just beating my head against the wall.
http://extras.skype.com/1454/view
“Finally caller identification for United States SkypeIn (TM) users is here. Call any SkypeOut (TM) phone number from your Skype (TM) address book, and this software will display your SkypeIn (TM) phone number on the recepient’s caller id display. Currently for Skype (TM) desktop software on PC. Wifi handheld, usb phone, and Apple/Mac version coming soon.”
I think I also found this with a GOOGLE search, not a Skype KB / FAQ / etc search. Hopefully this helps others.
I just called a few people this morning and caller id is working for me and I’m in the US!!! It’s just sending the wrong number!!!!
LOL
I guess they are close to getting it working in the US?
At least people pick up the phone now cause they don’t recognize the number. One time, it was a local area code that showed and one time it was an out of town area code.
It is working for me in Seattle as of Jun 5th.
From the website I selected the “Caller ID” page and tried to enter my SkypeOut number but it would not accept it. I then used my cell phone number thinking that would be better than nothing. After entering the code word I received in a text message it told me it would start using my cell phone number as my caller id. After waiting a few minutes I tried a SkypeOut call and low and behold, caller id comes through but with my SkypeOut number, not my cell phone number!! As this is what I wanted I am very happy but this was a non-intuitive way of making it happen
It works for me for a USA skypein number. I just logged in my account, in the caller identification, setup, there has an option that I can activate my skypein number as my caller ID( this option did not show up couples days ago). I choose it, and test to call my cell phone, it do works. great, skype!!!
I have a 415 (San Francisco) SkypeOut number, and outgoing caller ID now works like a charm. Awesome job Skype!
I’m in Hollywood, FL (Fort Lauderdale area) and it’s working great!
Finally, thanks!
I just renewed for another year.
any people know how much Caller identification charge ????????
because i look for all the internet , faq , everything i can fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and i feel they charge me more when i use the Caller identification!!!!!!!!!!!
Caller identification doesn’t cost anything, you’ll be glad to know
Hmmm, caller ID works just fine for me.
Not sure what the big deal is?
I live in Florida for 6 months and the UK for 6 months. Couldn’t caller-ID be my name only and not necessarily a number? Why would my London friend want to call Orlando when I’m there?
You can change your caller ID settings whenever you like, so you can use a UK number while you’re in London and a Florida number while you’re in Orlando
If you use your cell phone number for your ID would there be any chance that your carrier would charge your for the call?
@missysims no
I just made a couple test calls ,and Skype works great , Im using my own cellphone bluetooth , sound it’s clear with my bluetooth adapter running Windows Xp , I don’t need to be plug to my computer , it works arround the office no problems at all , Skype Rocks !!!!!
Is it absolutely certain that your carrier won’t charge you for the call if you use your mobile for number as your caller ID??? Thanks.
I was pleased to see that caller ID is working for some in US now. I just tried with mine, however, and the caller identification still prompts me for a cell phone. I enter my skype phone number and I am told that it is not a valid cell phone. Is there another screen that you guys are using? Also, I just updated to the latest version 4.2 to try to see if that made a difference, to no avail. Thanks!
@tepfertepfer head over to your account to set up your Skype online number for caller ID – you’ll be asked to sign in first.
I contacted my boss from a Skype number, and he said the ID showed up with my username instead of my full name which I would rather have displayed. I tried remedying this from the caller ID settings page cut found I could only change the phone number. Is there any other way to display my real name on the ID?