Display your phone number when calling from Skype
By
Scott Davison on June 17, 2008 in .
Something we always get asked by business users is "how can I display a phone number when making a call from Skype". Calls that show up as 'unknown', or perhaps a non identifying combination of numbers such as '0000123456', are less likely to get answered. It also makes it impossible for the person to return the call if they can't see the number it originated from.
The good news is we have a solution for you. It's called 'Caller identification (Caller ID)'.
Caller ID allows you to display your online number or your mobile number when calling phones from Skype.
You can use mobile numbers from any country, with the exception of Japan and Mexico.
You can use online numbers from Denmark, Estonia, Hong Kong, Japan, Poland, Sweden, United States and the UK. Hopefully we will be adding more countries to the list shortly.
How to set up caller identification:
Caller identification, as we call this feature, is easy to set up. Simply sign in to your account and follow the on-screen instructions.
Please note that if you have previously set up your mobile number to show when sending SMS messages you don't need to verify the number again. Just choose to use the same number to show for SkypeOut calls.
You will see a screen similar to this:
source: Skype Journal
In this case you can choose between using your online number or the mobile phone number associated with your Skype account.
If you have not previously associated a mobile number with your Skype account, you will need to verify the mobile number by following the instructions sent to you in an SMS.
Associating multiple numbers with your Skype account
It is possible to associate multiple online numbers with your Skype account. For instance you may have one number in New York and one in London. By associating both these numbers with your Skype account, caller ID will choose the one which is local to the person you are calling and display that number. If neither number is local to the caller, it will use your default number as the caller ID.
Comments
I followed the instructions, added our phone number we want displayed as caller id, and Skype sends an SMS message, which I don't know what that is, with a code we need to enter. We use a handheld Philips VOIP phone, nothing showed up there, nor on the onscreen Skype window. Where are we supposed to receive this message? I looked up SMS on Skype, but there was no explanation what it is, only how to use it... We would very much like to use our phone number as caller id. Any help appreciated.
jx_ranch | Sunday, Jun 22
I've not been able to get this to work. Yet Skype is deducting for all the SMS attempts to send me the code. At one point, it was saying my mobile is already registered, but I did not get any interface like the one shown ("Display this number when I call phones"). Can't seem to get a code from within Skype application either, just get a spinning wheel like it tries, and it deducts another fee for the SMS attempt. I have SMS on my phone and even had my provider/dealer confirm and send a test SMS to it.
thetasphere | Tuesday, Jun 24
I still no receive any verification code...
vorexfaiq | Thursday, Jun 26
I am thinking about switching my business phones from landlines to Skype for Business and using the PrettyMay product. Can I still keep my same phone numbers?
mpnphx | Thursday, Jun 26
A staff of Tom company which is the partner of Skype in china said that skype does not support displaying number in china.
Is it true? what's the reason?
freeos | Wednesday, Jul 2
I am a skype user in Hong Kong. I just buy a one month service from skype which the caller-identification is included. The caller-identification never work. I did double check the setting. And I also make a call to HGC(skype partners) to seek an answer. Please advise simply where it work in Hong Kong or not so that I need not to struggle for the settings. If not, please specified the time-frame to make it work. My phone number is something like +852 819x xxxx.
Thanks very much.
info-room | Tuesday, Aug 12
It seems there is no way to activate your online number as caller identification as far as I can see. I use Skype version 3.8.0 in the Netherlands.
After reading Scotts comment I gather it doesn't work in this country, yet.
It would save much trouble if that was clear from your choice under Account Settings / Caller Identification.
raymondstein | Thursday, Aug 28