# Cell Phones and Caller ID **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-and-caller-id/148176 "2003-01-12T19:18:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Civil\_Defense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Civil\_Defense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Defense)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-and-caller-id/148176/1 "2003-01-12T19:18:06Z")
My cell phone has a caller ID service included, free of charge. I noticed, however, that it doesn’t work quite the same as my home caller ID. My home caller ID will display both the number (as 123-456-7890) as well as the name of the person the phone number is registered to (ie: SMITH, BOB). My cellphone, however, displays only the number calling (ie 123-456-7890), and unless I’ve programmed a corresponding name into my phone book, no name information. I’ve noticed this on at least 3 other cell phone service providers through my friends’ phones. Is there a reason why cell phone companies don’t include name information with caller ID? Thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cell-phones-and-caller-id/148176/2 "2003-01-12T19:25:05Z")
You don’t have caller ID at home, you have Caller ID with name. Cellphones only offer the caller ID (no name) option. As for the reason - I suspect they will offer the name option at a additional charge. Perhaps when cellphones started offering caller ID their display was single lines and/or union jack displays (sort of a combination of a boxie ‘0’ a + and an X together) that made displaying the name not practical. But then again maybe not perhaps the caller ID with name came after the multi-line led cellphone displays. but perhaps a start.