diff --git a/api/current.xml b/api/current.xml
index b2ed2e444685c..62078a70e603f 100644
--- a/api/current.xml
+++ b/api/current.xml
@@ -123244,6 +123244,23 @@
 <parameter name="b" type="java.lang.String">
 </parameter>
 </method>
+<method name="compare"
+ return="boolean"
+ abstract="false"
+ native="false"
+ synchronized="false"
+ static="true"
+ final="false"
+ deprecated="not deprecated"
+ visibility="public"
+>
+<parameter name="context" type="android.content.Context">
+</parameter>
+<parameter name="a" type="java.lang.String">
+</parameter>
+<parameter name="b" type="java.lang.String">
+</parameter>
+</method>
 <method name="convertKeypadLettersToDigits"
  return="java.lang.String"
  abstract="false"
diff --git a/telephony/java/android/telephony/PhoneNumberUtils.java b/telephony/java/android/telephony/PhoneNumberUtils.java
index 32657089b910d..1aa1c7667f0e7 100644
--- a/telephony/java/android/telephony/PhoneNumberUtils.java
+++ b/telephony/java/android/telephony/PhoneNumberUtils.java
@@ -302,9 +302,21 @@ public class PhoneNumberUtils
      */
     public static boolean compare(String a, String b) {
         // We've used loose comparation at least Eclair, which may change in the future.
+
         return compare(a, b, false);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Compare phone numbers a and b, and return true if they're identical
+     * enough for caller ID purposes. Checks a resource to determine whether
+     * to use a strict or loose comparison algorithm.
+     */
+    public static boolean compare(Context context, String a, String b) {
+        boolean useStrict = context.getResources().getBoolean(
+               com.android.internal.R.bool.config_use_strict_phone_number_comparation);
+        return compare(a, b, useStrict);
+    }
+
     /**
      * @hide only for testing.
      */