Understanding the Evolution of Branded Caller ID: From Fragmentation to Standardization

Branded Caller ID services have long promised to restore trust in voice communications by providing consumers with key identifiers like a business's name, logo, and reason for calling. There was, and still is, some legitimacy to using automated calling for business purposes; companies frequently use these calls as a cost-effective means of reaching their customers. But unwanted calls have become a menace that most wish they didn't have to deal with.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been making steps toward remedying the problem of unsolicited calls, noting on its website that it is looking into this "top consumer complaint." In March 2022, Americans received 4.4 billion robocalls, with every mobile phone owner receiving an average of 13 robocalls. Compared to 5 billion robocalls a year ago, March numbers are a slight decline following the rolling out of STIR/SHAKEN authentication rules. Yet, 4.4 billion calls are still too many for comfort.

Bogged down by the many robocalls they receive each month, Americans have resorted to ignoring calls from phone numbers they don't recognize. In what would at first glance seem like a contradiction, customers say the telephone is the number one communication channel they couldn't live without when communicating with businesses, yet 94% of all unknown calls go unanswered.

However, the technology's first iteration was marked by inefficiencies and high costs. With the launch of a new, industry-led system at the end of 2024, branded caller ID is entering a new era of interoperability, transparency, and trust.

The Old System: A Fragmented, Costly Landscape

Before 2025, branded caller ID services were controlled by three separate companies Hija, TNS, and First Orion each aligned with specific mobile carriers. Hija worked exclusively with AT&T, TNS partnered with Verizon and US Cellular, and First Orion served T-Mobile and Sprint. This fragmentation meant businesses seeking branded caller ID coverage across all major U.S. carriers had to integrate with three different vendors.

To make matters worse, the same companies that mobile network operators relied on to label calls as "spam likely" were also selling branded caller ID solutions to enterprises as a way to mitigate the very problem they had created. This dynamic has drawn comparisons to having drug dealers offer drug treatment—an apparent conflict of interest that raises serious questions about transparency, ethics, and monopolistic practices.

Adding to the complexity, each vendor charged between 3 to 7 cents per call, making the service prohibitively expensive for many companies. Furthermore, TNS imposed restrictions on resellers, requiring them to have customers sign multiple agreements or navigate potential violations of resale agreements.

The system's inefficiencies and high costs rendered it an unattractive option for many businesses. It failed to deliver a seamless experience, and its proprietary nature made it difficult to scale or innovate.

The New System: Industry Collaboration and Modern Standards

Recognizing the limitations of the old system, the CTIA—the trade association representing the U.S. wireless communications industry—spearheaded the development of a new branded caller ID system. Launched in late 2024, this system is built on a different technological foundation, offering significant improvements.

Branded Calls are crucial in restoring trust in voice communications. Before the conversation even begins, the caller ID reveals the caller's business name, logo, location, and some other identifiable information. Rather than seeing an "unknown caller" label and stressing over the inconvenience of a potential spam call, Branded Calls allow customers to identify the source of a call right away. Also, using Branded Call Display ensures that major U.S. carriers do not label your legitimate business phone numbers as spam.

Communications technologies need to evolve to improve the customer experience when they're connecting with companies. Branded calling, combined with analytics solutions, is an excellent beginning towards restoring trust in voice calling and undoing the harm that robocalls have caused consumers, companies, and carriers.

Key Features of the New System

Leveraging STIR/SHAKEN protocols, Branded Calls ensure that calls to your customers are verified, authenticated, branded, and contextual.

Standardization with STIR/SHAKEN

The new system leverages the STIR/SHAKEN protocol for caller authentication, ensuring end-to-end security and minimizing the risk of spoofing. This verification indicates that a company's identity, and the telephone numbers it uses, are legitimate. Authentication signs and certifies that the incoming calls have not been compromised using STIR/SHAKEN digital certificates.

Interoperability

Unlike its predecessor, the new system provides a unified, cross-network solution. Businesses can work with BCID Authorized Partners to seamlessly deliver branded calls across carriers.

Rigorous Vetting and Validation

Enterprise data, including caller names, logos, and call reasons, undergoes independent vetting to ensure authenticity. This enhances trust for both businesses and consumers. Branding displays the identity or logo of the brand, which aids in recognition and customer recall.

Cost Efficiency

Enterprises pay only when branded calls are successfully delivered and displayed on consumers' devices. Detailed reporting ensures transparency.

Improved Consumer Trust

Research from 2024 shows that 75% of consumers are more likely to answer calls displaying verified identifiers like a company name, logo, or call reason. This system addresses the widespread issue of consumers ignoring calls from unknown numbers, which had led to missed legitimate communications. The contextual information provides the user with the information they require, including the purpose for the call.

Availability and Pricing

T-Mobile/Sprint is available now. Cost is $0.04 to $0.05 per displayed call, with a $50 monthly fee and a one-time vetting cost.

Verizon is expected to launch by the end of Q1 2025. Pricing details are forthcoming but are anticipated to match T-Mobile/Sprint, though this is not guaranteed.

AT&T is expected to launch by the end of 2025.

Requirements for Brands

To participate in the new branded caller ID system, businesses must meet the following requirements:

• Enterprise registration requires businesses to register with a BCID Authorized Partner and be incorporated or registered to do business in the U.S.
• Trademark validation ensures logos must be registered trademarks, which are verified through the USPTO database.
• The vetting process requires caller information, including names, logos, and call reasons, to be independently vetted to ensure authenticity.
• Compliance means brands must adhere to CTIA's industry-defined best practices and standards, including TCPA regulations.
• Recurring costs include the monthly fee, per-call costs, and a one-time vetting fee that businesses must cover.
• Call presentation details require the caller name, logo, and reason for calling to be provided during onboarding.
• Online presence review means websites must include a privacy policy and terms of service, and consumer complaints filed with mobile network operators are reviewed.

The Risks to Your Business When Not Using Branded Calls

Not using Branded Caller IDs poses serious risks to your business.

Your Customers Could Mistake Your Calls for Spam

Fraudsters are constantly ready and eager to impersonate well-known businesses. With individuals connected to their phones now more than at any other time in the past, telecom scams have become fraudsters' preferred approach. If your caller ID doesn't display your company name or logo, there's a good chance your customers will mistake your call for a spam call and either ignore it or block it outright.

You Could Be Violating the Law

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) prohibits companies from using an automated dialer to call a consumer's cell phone without written consent. If your caller ID doesn't accurately reflect your brand, you could be in violation of this law.

Your Calls Could Get Blocked by Carriers

Major U.S. carriers are now blocking calls that come from numbers that are not verified and authenticated as belonging to a legitimate business. If your calls are getting blocked, it's likely because your caller ID is not properly branded.

You Could Be Losing Out on Sales and Customer Retention

If your customers can't recognize your calls, they're less likely to answer them. This could lead to lost sales and customer attrition.

Your Brand Could Be Damaged

Your calls being mistaken for spam reflects poorly on your brand and could damage your reputation.

Benefits of Using Branded Calls

There are many benefits to using Branded Calls.

Increased Customer Trust and Confidence

When your customers see your company name and logo on their caller ID, they'll be more likely to trust and be confident in your brand.

Improved Customer Recognition

Customers are more likely to remember your brand when they see it every time you call them.

Reduced Chance of Being Mistaken for Spam

By authenticating your calls with STIR/SHAKEN, you can ensure that your calls will not be labeled as spam by major U.S. carriers.

Increased Sales and Customer Retention

When customers can easily recognize and remember your brand, they're more likely to answer your calls, leading to increased sales and customer retention.

Improved Brand Reputation

Branded Calls help improve the reputation of your brand by ensuring that your calls are not mistaken for spam. A branded phone call can help you create a more visual experience that entices customers to interact with your business and its offerings.

Reduced Risk of Violating the Law

By using Branded Calls, you can ensure that your caller ID is accurate and in compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

Reduced Risk of Having Your Calls Blocked by Carriers

By authenticating your calls and following STIR/SHAKEN protocols, your calls are less likely to be blocked by major U.S. carriers.

Branded Caller ID vs. CNAM

While both Branded Caller ID and CNAM provide caller identification, they differ significantly in functionality and reliability.

Branded Caller ID includes caller name, logo, and reason for call in its display information, while CNAM displays only the caller name with limited information.

Authentication for Branded Caller ID uses STIR/SHAKEN standards for end-to-end call authentication, whereas CNAM relies on basic database lookups and is vulnerable to spoofing.

The data source for Branded Caller ID is information vetted by BCID Authorized Partners, while CNAM data is pulled from a static database that is often outdated.

Scope for Branded Caller ID provides cross-network interoperability, while CNAM is carrier-specific.

Consumer trust is enhanced by rigorous vetting and branding with Branded Caller ID, but limited by lack of standardization and verification with CNAM.

Branded Caller ID provides a more robust solution for businesses aiming to build trust and engagement with consumers. Its integration of rich data such as logos and call reasons and adherence to stringent authentication standards make it a more secure and transparent alternative to traditional CNAM services.

Notably, Signalmash offers CNAM storage at no cost, making it an attractive option for businesses. However, most mobile plans do not include caller ID name delivery as a standard feature. Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) sell this service as an upgrade, but adoption is low estimated to be around 15% of mobile plans. Many consumers are unaware that CNAM delivery is available as an optional feature. Additionally, some consumers mistakenly believe they have CNAM because their phone displays a name if the caller is in their contact list or if the business uses the legacy version of branded caller ID. This discrepancy makes answering calls from unknown or unnamed numbers even less likely, exacerbating the trust gap in voice communications.

Ensuring Completion of Your Business Calls

The best way to ensure your calls reach the intended end-user is by registering your numbers with The Campaign Registry for messaging and the Free Caller Registry for voice calls before commencing your customer outreach campaign.

What Are The Campaign Registry and the Free Caller Registry?

The Campaign Registry and the Free Caller Registry are two separate but related services that help to ensure the delivery of your business calls and text messages.

The Campaign Registry is a database of known and trusted businesses that have registered their numbers for use in customer outreach campaigns. In the United States, the Campaign Registry is the main source of data for 10-digit long code (10DLC) messaging campaigns. It enables mobile network operators (MNOs) to track who sent a specific 10DLC message, allowing them to compare claims to real messaging behavior. The registry helps ensure that phone numbers are not blocked as spam by major U.S. carriers.

The Free Caller Registry, on the other hand, is a service that allows businesses to register their numbers for free so that they can be included in caller verification systems. The registry helps to ensure that your calls are not labeled as spam by major U.S. carriers.

In order to use either of these services, you will need to have a valid and working U.S. telephone number. You will also need to provide some basic information about your business, such as your company name, address, and contact information.

Once you have registered your numbers with The Campaign Registry and the Free Caller Registry, you will be able to start using Branded Calls to increase the likelihood that your calls are answered and completed.

Important Notes

While registering for this service enhances brand visibility, it does not guarantee immunity from call blocking if consumers file complaints about spam. Adherence to best practices and strict compliance with TCPA rules is essential for maintaining caller reputation.

Comparing the Old and New Systems

The old system used proprietary, fragmented technology, while the new system is standards-based using STIR/SHAKEN. Coverage in the old system was carrier-specific, but the new system provides cross-network interoperability. Cost in the old system was $0.03 to $0.07 per call with rigid pricing, while the new system uses pay-per-successful delivery. Implementation was complex with multi-vendor integration in the old system, but the new system offers single, unified onboarding. Trust mechanisms were limited and prone to spoofing in the old system, while the new system features rigorous vetting and validation.

How Signalmash Can Help

Because the telecommunications sector is highly regulated, businesses often find navigating it a challenge. Signalmash keeps up with new guidelines and regulations and helps you navigate them in a way that improves the experience customers have with your business as well as your bottom line. We'll guide you through setting up your Branded Calls, including registering with The Campaign Registry so that you can reduce the number of your business calls that go unanswered.

Signalmash is now accepting orders for beta branded caller ID and expects to have a full commercial solution by the end of the 2nd quarter of 2025. If you're interested in being a beta customer, please reach out to sales@signalmash.com and one of our experts will contact you to discuss your project.

Conclusion

The new branded caller ID system represents a significant leap forward, addressing the inefficiencies and limitations of the old architecture. By prioritizing interoperability, transparency, and security, the system provides businesses with a powerful tool to engage customers confidently. At the same time, consumers benefit from greater trust in the calls they receive, fostering a more connected and reliable communication ecosystem.

Branded Caller ID is the future of voice communications, and it's crucial for businesses that want to stay ahead of the curve. If you're not using Branded Caller ID, now is the time to start. Reach out to us today, and let us show you how!

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