340 = Unknown

This is merely my opinion, but in the last dozen years of living here, I've come to accept that asking why is futile...if it makes any sense, whatsoever, we avoid it at all costs....however, not all places in America will show you as 'Unknown'. The majority will, yes, but some will show the name and number...guess it's just another 'price for paradise'...:@)

Maybe it's the carrier? I have AT&T and recently changed my member to 340- but even when I had my 917 number I didn't have a problem with calls coming up "unknown". Whether they were calling from here or from the states. I think you should call the carrier and ask, they may have an answer for you. 🙂

Maybe it's the carrier? I have AT&T and recently changed my member to 340- but even when I had my 917 number I didn't have a problem with calls coming up "unknown". Whether they were calling from here or from the states. I think you should call the carrier and ask, they may have an answer for you. 🙂

Good luck with that. Don't think India can tell the difference.

I may have experienced the same thing as you. I live in NC, but I have an AT&T phone with a VI 340 area code number. All calls to this number show up as unknown. I spoke to an AT&T engineer about this and he told me that with my 340 area code number, that when I was in NC that the call would still actually route through trunks on the AT&T towers in the USVI.... and that these trunks did not support some of the newer caller ID options. I am not sure how accurate or correct this was though.

Thanks,
Brandon

We have AT&T for the cell phones and have the same problem. We have a family plan and only those in the plan or designated callers get recognized by name. The others are "unknown." Brandonc's explanation sounds right. We were told it's the equipment in Puerto Rico where the switching is done. Maybe it's both places. Makes it an adventure every time you answer the phone!

Ugh, no thanks. I didn't realize it would happen in the other direction as well... not only does no one recognize you, you don't have a clue who's calling?! I'll stick to my current number, then. Yuck. I left the '80s for a reason!

roadrunner: You are in a heap o'trouble if you don't like the 80's. The VI is like the 80s- the 1880s- all over.:P

I remember before I moved here people said, "Oh you'll want a 340 area code" for a variety of reasons, including, some said, "a local bias against stateside area codes." That was a false bit of advice, IMO. I kept my stateside cell number for business reasons, and my wife has a 340 cell, and nobody seems to care what your area code is.

And because I kept my stateside number, my caller ID works fine.
Thus, I DOUBT the reason being suggested that "the towers/trunks aren't transmitting it" because my phonecalls to my stateside cell number work just fine coming through the same equipment. It's in the system programming.

I remember before I moved here people said, "Oh you'll want a 340 area code" for a variety of reasons, including, some said, "a local bias against stateside area codes." That was a false bit of advice, IMO. I kept my stateside cell number for business reasons, and my wife has a 340 cell, and nobody seems to care what your area code is.

I know that many people who have to use a land line - because of work, preference, availability etc. will NOT call a stateside area code and incur long distance charges. This is particularly true in any of our VI govt. offices - so expecting a call back from any agency on a non 340 # is usually impossible.
Also not every one in the VI has a cell phone.

I have a pay as you go phone with 340 number as a backup phone. I get one that' s not affiliated with my regular carrier. Two reasons - if I need to give a local number, and if there's a storm I hope at least one of the services will work. Cheap insurance, IMO.

I know that many people who have to use a land line - because of work, preference, availability etc. will NOT call a stateside area code and incur long distance charges. This is particularly true in any of our VI govt. offices - so expecting a call back from any agency on a non 340 # is usually impossible.
Also not every one in the VI has a cell phone.

I agree with this 100%, and it drives me nuts! I can't tell you the number of times that I've given my stateside cell number to a business here asking for a call back and they'll say that "they tried to call", but they didn't! It's quite obvious when you look at your phone and there are no calls missed and no voice mails. In fact, Innovative won't even accept a non-local number on their forms. I had to give them my property manager's office number as as alternate contact.

In my experience here, having a non-local number puts you in the category of "tourist" in many peoples minds. They will say they are going to call and never do. Some people can make it work, but the more you navigate the local economy, the harder it is.

Just one more oddity of life in the USVI. You have to accept it, embrace it, own it!!

I know that many people who have to use a land line - because of work, preference, availability etc. will NOT call a stateside area code and incur long distance charges. This is particularly true in any of our VI govt. offices - so expecting a call back from any agency on a non 340 # is usually impossible. Also not every one in the VI has a cell phone.

I know what you and Linda J say is the conventional wisdom, and maybe you've had a problem or know someone who did, but I've NEVER had a problem with people calling my stateside cell number. This has included government offices, the IRB, Innovative, a senator's office, and local businesses. Most of the 'locals' I've dealt with have cell phones.

What people may be experiencing is more commonly known as "people who don't bother to return phonecalls, period." :-X

The 340 number thing has definitely changed a lot in the 7 years since I've been here. Back then I would agree that there was a stigma associated with a non 340 number but with Innovative providing such horrible service the decline in landline use and the infusion of VOIP services has changed things quite a bit. There are of course some stuck in old ways but if you explain to them that you got a better deal than you could get with a 340 number they are usually understanding.

Sean

The whole idea of "local" phone number is changing (again)
I received a call from my old boss from some crazy area code I didn't recognize. He was using the new Google phone option on gmail.

As for people who are still paying for long distance phone calls, that seems almost quaint anymore.

On another subject:

Are there any good reasons to have Innovative phone service? I can't think of any.

The only reason to have an Innovative land line that I can think of is for data.

To order PPV on a Dish receiver you need either a landline or an ethernet connection. Trying to make it work using VOIP or a cell phone is almost impossible.

If you want to send faxes you need a landline. Yes, you can scan documents then send them using other services to a fax machine but nothing is as simple or reliable as a fax machine plugged into a landline.

Jim

Jim, can you order Dish PPV online?

IMO: "reliable" and "fax machine" are oxymorons. Always a good idea to call up to make sure a fax is received.
Scanning and emailing is more reliable because people can immediately reply with a "got it".

Probably the best/sole reason I can think of for a POTS line (Innovative) is the e911 integration which I think just recently started (whether emergency responders can find your home in a timely fashion in the absence of street addresses is another topic.)

On the same topic if you have a monitored alarm system you really need a land line with perhaps a cell connection to back it up. If you use a cell connection for an alarm system it has to go through a special data center to convert the alarm's message and then forward it as an analog phone call to the monitoring center.

Jim

As for people who are still paying for long distance phone calls, that seems almost quaint anymore.

Couldn't have said it better. If you're still paying for long distance, you need to wake up.

As for people who are still paying for long distance phone calls, that seems almost quaint anymore.

Couldn't have said it better. If you're still paying for long distance, you need to wake up.

Are you saying your Cell phone includes long distance calls and you don't Pay a Monthly Bill?? the same bill whether you call long distance or not perhaps -- but a Bill that includes long distance -- correct?

Most cell phone plans include free long distance.

If you have an internet connection on your computer you can also do long distance for free using Skype or gmail phone.

i think what Zero is saying is that long distance is not really FREE, but included in the monthly price of cell phone service.

I remember reading about this caller-id problem a long time ago --- found it here: (from 2008)

https://www.vimovingcenter.com/talk/read.php?4,89143,89476#msg-89476

For me, it seems to be getting better - SOMETIMES I see the ID when I get stateside calls. Not always. .:S