Vertical Service Codes (VSC) for Caller ID Management Date: October 26, 2023 Distribution: General Reference

If you’ve ever been plagued by incessant calls from “Private Number,” “Unknown,” “Restricted,” or “No Caller ID,” you’ve likely searched for a magic code to type into your phone’s dialer—hoping to instantly reveal the identity behind the veil. The idea is tempting: a few keystrokes (*#something#) and suddenly, all private numbers show their true colors.

This temporarily unblocks your own caller ID for that single call. This is useful if you normally keep your number private but want to reach a business or person that blocks anonymous calls.

Modern phones do not have a local “unblock all private numbers” switch. Caller ID blocking is enforced by your carrier’s switch, not your device. A few keypresses on your dialer cannot override your carrier’s privacy settings for someone else’s line.

: On most GSM networks (common in Europe and globally), dial this code and press call to permanently re-enable your outgoing caller ID.