Area-code caller ID (AC-CID): matching a local number

People are far more likely to pick up a call from a number that looks local. AC-CID, short for Area Code Caller IDs, is the VICIdial feature that makes a lead in the 415 area code see a 415 number. It is straightforward to set up once you know which switch turns it on and where the area-code map lives.

Turning it on

AC-CID lives behind the campaign's Custom Caller ID setting. Set that field to AREACODE and an AC-CID submenu appears for the campaign. That submenu is where you tell VICIdial which number to show for each area code. Until you set the field to AREACODE, the submenu is not there, so this is the first step every time.

Loading your area-code map

Inside the AC-CID submenu you add one entry at a time. Each entry has three parts:

1. The area code to be called, such as 312.
2. The outbound CID (caller ID) that should appear for leads in that area code.
3. A short description so you remember what the number is for.

Submit each one and it joins the list of active AC-CIDs for the campaign. When the dialer calls a lead, it reads the lead's area code and sends the matching number. You can also set more than one number per area code, which spreads your daily volume across several local numbers in the same region so no single one carries the whole load.

Where the numbers come from

AC-CID only changes which of your numbers gets sent. It does not buy you local numbers. You still have to acquire a number in each area code you want to appear from, usually through your Carrier, and point the calls back at a number you can answer, such as a DID (direct inward dialing) that lands in a queue. Load the numbers you own into the AC-CID entries, and keep the list current as you add or drop numbers. A stale entry that points at a number you no longer control will keep going out until you fix it, which is a fast way to look like a Spam Likely label caller.

AC-CID versus CID Groups

AC-CID and CID Groups do similar things, so people ask which to use. AC-CID is set up per campaign right inside that campaign's submenu, which is simple when you only run one or two campaigns. CID Groups are reusable named pools you can attach to many campaigns and they support state-level matching and failover. If you only need local numbers on one Campaign, AC-CID is the quicker path. If you run several campaigns that should share the same regional numbers, a group is tidier.

Where it ranks

In the caller-ID priority order, an AC-CID match sits below list overrides and CID Groups but above the per-lead security_phrase value and the plain campaign number. So if a lead also has a CID Group match, the group wins. Lifting your Answer rate this way is one of the most reliable changes you can make to an outbound dial. For the broader set of controls, read our VICIdial dialing strategies guide, and if calls are being abandoned, see how to lower your VICIdial drop rate. To get a dialer running in under a minute, see our plans.