caller ID is ON yet suddenly can't get thru to numbers which don't accept calls without caller ID

[Winter]

Hi. I've been ringing my mother in USA on the same number for 25 years. The past couple months I have not been able to get through; instead I get an automated message saying "This number does not accept calls without caller ID." My caller ID is switched to ALWAYS ON in settings on my Samsung S10e!

I have searched and searched online for a solution but can find nothing beyong the usual instructions about how to switch on caller ID. It must be something beyond this that has made my phone number (which has never changed) suddenly unrecognisable to her number. She has not changed any settings on her phone plan, either.

Please, any advice? It's becoming distressing not being able to check in on my elderly mother. Would be very grateful for ideas leading to breakthrough!

[MI5]

@Winter 

Can't offer any suggestions as to why. Maybe something on the receiving network that has changed?

Does your number show up if you call a UK number? That would be an indication of which side has the problem.

However, if both you and your Mum download WhatsApp, you can call via the app for free as long as you have a data connection of some sort.

[Winter]

Thanks for taking time to make these suggestions, @MI5. My phone number does show up just fine everywhere else. It used to sometimes appear on her phone in USA as 'unknown' (I think it couldn't identify it as 'UK'), but if she knew ahead of time that I was to ring, she'd pick up. Now it suddenly doesn't go through at all -- no ringing at her end, so she has no idea I'm trying to call.

I am indeed investigating this with her phone co as well. Nothing has changed that my mum or locals can identify. Perhaps Cox Comms' software just got tougher on anything it doesn't easily recognise. 
I do dearly wish I could use something like WhatsApp -- would be so much easier! Alas, my mum has no use for a smart phone, nor are those slippery little 21c pocket computers very operable by arthritic old hands, so that's not a route we can go down. She does use a computer (barely); I have been on the lookout for something similar which doesn't require a phone number to sync ... but even Skype has to be installed and there is no one but her at the other end: unfortunately downloading and installing etc are all too complicated for many, especially the elderly on their own.
Thanks for sharing also the warm candle picture on this very cold night! I wish you all the best.

[MI5]

@Winter 

It certainly would appear to be an issue with Cox Comms so I would pursue that line of enquiry.

It also may just be a temporary glitch which clears by itself.

Have you tried calling from a different number, if possible, to see if Cox Comms handles all international calls the same way, as this may help them with their investigation.

[Winter]

It's been like this for over a month now. I kept thinking I could find a solution online, if others might have experienced the same, but I never have been able to find it using various search phrases so thought i'd try here.
Cheers for suggestion of trying with a different number, so as to be able to give Cox more info for their investigation (which I hope they duly do!) that other number/s do/don't have the same problem.
Many thanks.

[MI5]

Best of luck @Winter 

Hope you get sorted soon.

Is their a neighbour or carer that could get you Mum a burner phone to use WhatsApp on in the interim?

[Bambino]

@Winter Another alternative for you is for you to download Skype and buy credit to call your mum on the number she already has. She doesn't need to download anything that way, but it would also appear as a number she won't recognise. Skype calls from the UK to the US are reasonably cheap. 

[MI5]

@Winter 

I've just been Googling around and it seems that some US carriers have adopted a spam identification service to try to identify and block spam calls. It seems that with some, international calls will have their numbers stripped out by the service resulting in no caller ID. So this might be something to ask Cox Comms hen talking to them.

Also, international calls seem to be handled by VOIP services, such as Skype, so rather than going through Skype via a third party, you could try calling via Skype yourself.

You will have to buy credit to use it but might be something to try?