Partial Caller ID Blocking

[pcorning]

Would it be easy for Sonic to let users block only their phone number, not their name, from being sent along with outgoing calls?

I would like callers to get enough to know it's me, but not enough to call back my Sonic number.

A pediatrician just called. She didn't want me calling her back outside of office hours, so she blocked her number (seen this quite a bit from docs). I didn't pick it up because the caller ID was blocked.

I use Google Voice for voicemail, but I can't transfer Sonic calls to Google Voice and I'd rather not have lots of voicemail boxes. So I dread using the Sonic line (I know this is a poor argument to make with someone who offers flat rate pricing) - either caller ID is blocked and I get few answers, or people call me back at my Sonic number and I am inconvenienced.

[virtualmike]

You can "originate" calls from your GVoice number. It's not as easy as simply picking up the phone, but it works well.

Assuming your Fusion # is included in your GVoice account, you can...

1. Dial into your GVoice number, press *, enter your passcode, dial 2, then dial the number you want to call

2. Log into GVoice on your computer, click the big red "Call" button, enter the number and the phone on which you wish to make the call

3. Log into GVoice on your computer, find the contact you wish to call, and click "call" next to the appropriate number

4. Use the iPhone or iPad Gvoice app, which also will give the same functionality as #s 2 and 3

In all cases, GVoice calls the phone you designate, and as soon as you answer, the other number gets rung.

My personal setup has the Fusion line with outbound caller ID blocked, and for the few calls for which I wish to send caller ID, I use method #2, 3, or 4 above. I normally have my browser already authenticated for Gvoice, so I just click the bookmark for GVoice, enter the number, and go.

[pcorning]

Thanks - I do wind up initiating calls from Google Voice, but am hoping to cut out a few steps.

My guess is that this is a request for a corner case feature, and Sonic would be better off offering selective call transfer to allow incoming calls to be sent to external voicemail resources like Google Voice.

[virtualmike]

I've been too lazy to bother (or too busy to bother?), but it should be possible to program an auto-dialing phone to call the GVoice number, tone the *, tone the code, and tone the 2 (with appropriate pauses), so you can press one button for access, then dial the number you want.