For several months I've been getting calls with spoofed Caller IDs. I understand spoofing requires either VoIP or a PBX system with DSL.
Can anybody with cable internet access and suitable software make VoIP calls?
The other day I received a wrong-number call from an exchange belonging to Level 3 Communications. Among other services, they offer residential VoIP services through wholesalers such as ISPs and cable operators. I'm confused. Does a consumer need these services to use VoIP?
[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: I don't think either 'VOIP' or 'PBX system' have anything to do with it. If I understand correctly what I have read here in the Digest, it requires a 'PRI' type thing; that is, a multi-channel set of lines going to DID, or Direct Inward Dialing, which would, I guess, be similar to a PBX arrangement. Companies who have those lines _can_ set the caller ID to be whatever is appropriate in their instance. I suspect the fact that the ID shown was that company may have been just coincidental. You do need either cable internet or DSL to use VOIP; regular 'dialup' lines are just not wide enough or fast enough to do VOIP. But other than having DSL or cable, VOIP takes nothing especially fancy; just an adapter box from the place where you get the VOIP service and any regular telephone instrument will do the job. And if you planned on totally getting rid of your landline phone taking VOIP instead, that is generally not possible with DSL, since most telcos will not give stand-alone DSL. PAT]