Simplifying Phone Number Data Validation and Carrier Lookup with a Free API

Simplifying Phone Number Data Validation and Carrier Lookup with a Free API
3 min read
27 October 2023

Verifying phone numbers and identifying carriers are essential tasks for many businesses. However, performing these checks manually can be time-consuming and error-prone. This is where a phone number validation and carrier lookup API can help simplify the process.

NumVerify offers a free API that allows you to validate phone numbers and retrieve carrier information with a simple HTTP request. With it, you can add robust phone number data validation to your applications and workflows without having to build the functionality from scratch.

Why Validate Phone Numbers?

There are a few key reasons why validating phone numbers is important:

  • Catch formatting errors: Phone numbers are entered manually by users and are prone to typos or incorrect formatting. Validating the number catches errors before they cause issues down the line.
  • Verify number is possible: Not all numbers conform to the E.164 standard. Validation confirms the number structure is possible for its country/region.
  • Prevent spam: Invalid or unallocated numbers could be bogus. Validation helps filter out junk to avoid sharing data with spammers or scammers.
  • Improve deliverability: Carrier lookup identifies the provider for proper routing. Sending SMS/calls to the wrong network means lost messages and wasted money.
  • Enhance user experience: Users appreciate immediate feedback on errors so they can fix issues promptly. Validation creates a smoother signup or contact process.

By catching invalid or incorrect numbers early, businesses can avoid wasting effort pursuing bogus leads or sending communications into a black hole. It also boosts deliverability for legitimate customers.

Lookup Carriers Effortlessly

Once a number passes validation, the next logical step is to identify its carrier. This information is necessary for proper routing of SMS messages and voice calls.

With NumVerify's API, you can make a single request to not only validate a number but also retrieve details about its associated mobile network operator. No need to maintain a separate database of carrier mappings or deal with outdated information.

Some key carrier attributes returned include:

  • Mobile country code (MCC) and network code (MNC) for unique identification
  • Carrier name in English and local language
  • Common coverage countries
  • Additional data like whether the network supports VoLTE, 5G, etc.

Armed with the carrier, applications can route communications accurately the first time. This significantly improves deliverability versus taking blind shots in the dark.

Simplifying Critical Workflows

Leveraging an API like NumVerify's is a no-brainer for automating phone number data validation and carrier identification at scale. Some example use cases that see major benefits include:

  • Contact Forms: Validate entries on web/mobile signups, contact forms to catch errors.
  • Lead Generation: Verify leads from third parties are of high quality before pursuing.
  • SMS Marketing: Lookup carriers for sending promotional SMS with high deliverability.
  • Two-Factor Auth: Validate numbers entered for account security without complex backend.
  • A2P Messaging: Identify proper networks for application-to-person communications like OTPs.
  • Call Centers: Verify customer numbers and flag issues pre-call for smooth support.

By offloading the heavy lifting to a reliable API, businesses of any size can focus resources on their core products instead of wasting time reproducing common utilities. The NumVerify API makes light work of simplifying critical workflows through robust phone number validation.

 

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Sachin Kumar 2
Joined: 7 months ago
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