You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iphone XS why do i appear as private number rather than my phone number?

i am a boost mobile customer with a new iphone xs. when i call my friends, my number shows as private ID. i have spoken to boost mobile customer service multiple times, they either hang up on me or transfer me to apple and then apple says they can't help me because i don't have a service contract associated with my IMEI. i have spent soooooo many hours on this, why is this so hard? why can't i just get my phone number to show up when i call people? why are phone companies and corporations allowed to control this?

Posted on Aug 4, 2020 8:32 PM

Reply
7 replies

Aug 5, 2020 7:24 AM in response to ckuan

exactly...why can't i get to that button? i have called the carrier (boost), they either hang up on me after a lengthy conversation with a customer service rep and waiting to be "transferred" to a supervisor or they transfer me to Apple. i only get an apple virtual assistant who then hangs up on me because it indicates i don't have a service plan associated with my phone)...this is why i asked "why are phone companies and corporations allowed to control this?"



Aug 6, 2020 11:14 AM in response to Dogcow-Moof

it is weird you accept that this is carrier oriented...the phone is able to control this, but carriers are allowed to mess with our ability to hide or show our phone number and you just think "get the right carrier" (which implies pay the most money you can because it has nothing to do with the network, just who allows what and for what cost) not "why is this a thing?" do you have any idea how much money carriers make? how much executives at carriers are paid? why not "why do carriers get to mess with this?" do you think it is because they deserve to? since you can't answer my question in a real technical way, why not keep your opinion about carriers to yourself?

Aug 6, 2020 11:21 AM in response to calycolor

Not all carriers support controlling that option from the settings on the phone.


Why are they "allowed to mess with" your ability to hide or show your number? Because it's their network. They control it. It's a carrier feature.


If you're unhappy with it, then switch to a carrier that offers some actual customer support.


Boost is a cut rate carrier. You get what you pay for.

iphone XS why do i appear as private number rather than my phone number?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.