The Nation - News from Sept. 15, 1987

A service that would tell New Jersey Bell customers the identity of the caller before they answer the telephone represents an invasion of privacy that also could reduce calls to emergency hot lines, which rely on anonymous tips, opponents told a regulatory panel in Newark. The state Board of Public Utilities is considering the proposed Call Identification service, described by New Jersey Bell as a way for customers to “see who is at the door before opening it.” Law enforcement officials see it as a way to thwart obscene callers, reduce sales solicitation calls and help trace numbers during emergencies.