Branded Calling
Branded Calling is a paid caller ID enhancement that allows businesses to display their brand name directly on a mobile device’s incoming call screen, something traditional CNAM (Caller Name) struggles to consistently deliver on mobile devices.
Unlike CNAM, which was built for landlines and uses a limited 15-character name string retrieved from carrier-side databases, Branded Calling is carrier-integrated and mobile-focused, ensuring that your brand appears accurately and reliably on supported mobile networks.
How is Branded Calling Different from CNAM?
We recommend using both Branded Calling and CNAM to maximize your reach and improve answer rates. But while they may seem similar on the surface, they’re fundamentally different in terms of technology and their audience reach.
CNAM (Caller Name) is a decades-old feature of the U.S. landline network. It attempts to identify incoming callers by displaying a name, usually a business or personal name, associated with the phone number. This name is pulled by the receiving carrier (not the sender) from one of several decentralized databases at the time of the call. CNAM is commonly included with landline service, but on mobile devices, it’s typically a paid add-on, which most consumers skip. As a result, CNAM is displayed to less than 20% of mobile users in the U.S.
Branded Calling, in contrast, is a modern, mobile-optimized solution that allows the calling party to transmit their verified brand name directly, in real-time, to the recipient’s device (when supported by the carrier).
Branded Calling directly addresses the limitations of CNAM by:
- Delivering branding in real-time from the originating carrier to the terminating device.
- Giving you control over the name that appears. No more relying on third-party lookups or stale CNAM databases.
| Feature | CNAM | Branded Calling |
|---|---|---|
| Available on | Primarily landlines | Mobile phones (and some landlines) |
| Character limit | 15 characters | Between 15 to 32 characters on supported carriers |
| Logo support | ||
| Call reason support | ||
| Delivery consistency | Inconsistent on mobile networks | Optimized for mobile networks |
| Carrier validation | None | Carrier vetted to protect your brand |
Network Support
Branded Calling is currently available in the following countries:
| Country | Notes |
|---|---|
| United States | Supported on the T-Mobile and Verizon networks. |
| Canada | Logo display is not currently supported. |
Setting Up Branded Calling
To use Branded Calling, you must meet the following requirements:
- You have legal authority to use the Branded Calling display name. You can’t use Branded Calling to deceive or mislead consumers.
- You must have healthy call metrics. If you have received carrier complaints in the past or the carrier identifies a high number of blocked calls (SIP 608/603), you may not be eligible for Branded Calling. Learn more about Maintaining a Positive Caller Reputation.
- You have registered for Voice Integrity and have it approved. (Voice Integrity lets you register your phone numbers with analytic vendors to reduce spam labeling.)
Preparing for Registration
Before submitting your request for Branded Calling, please review:
Branded Calling guidelines
- A Branded Calling Instance is associated with one display name and one or more phone numbers.
- A phone number can be associated with only one Branded Calling instance.
- You must register a new Branded Calling instance for each display name you want to register.
Display name restrictions
- Maximum 15 characters for Verizon and 32 characters for T-Mobile
- Must be related to your business name
- Must not contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
- Must not contain web links
- Letters and numbers only
Information to gather
Have the following information and documents ready before you submit your request:
- Display name: A primary name (maximum 15 characters) and an optional longer name for supported carriers (maximum 32 characters).
- Company logo: 256 x 256 px. Depending on the recipient’s device, your logo may render differently. It is typically framed within a circle.
- Legal company name: Include your DBA or trade name if you operate under one.
- Employee count
- Public company website
- Company privacy policy URL
- TCPA consent policies: A description of how you obtain consent to contact people.
- Average outbound calls expected
- Letter of Authorization (LOA): Use the LOA template.
Submitting Your Request
Submit your request to our Support team using the Branded Calling registration form. Have the items listed under Preparing for Registration ready before you begin.
Open the registration formReview Process
When you register your brand, our Carrier Partner reviews your submission to make sure it meets all requirements. The review process can take up to seven days. During this time, your brand contact listed may receive direct communication from our Carrier Partner or their designated partner agents to validate, vet, or verify your organization.
Billing
Since Branded Calling is a service provided by our Carrier Partner, all applicable Branded Calling fees will be included in your telephony usage bill each month. Billing is based on usage:
- You are billed only for calls that are successfully branded.
- Successfully branded calls are billed even if they go unanswered.
Branded Calling costs are subject to change at any time. Please contact our Support team for the latest rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to activate? It can take several weeks for full provisioning across carriers after submitting your branded calling registration.
What happens if the recipient’s carrier doesn’t support Branded Calling? The call will default to standard CNAM behavior, which may or may not show a name depending on the recipient’s carrier and device.
Will I be billed for calls to carriers that don’t support Branded Calling? No, you are only billed for calls that are successfully branded.