Branded calling improves customer experience, lowers CNAM

Terminating Service Providers have new options available to them to display caller name to their subscribers. These options can lower CNAM costs and improve customer experience for their subscribers. Let's have a look.

CNAM benefits, costs, and limitations

CNAM (Caller NAMe) can improve call completion by telling wary subscribers who's calling. The Terminating Service Provider (TSP) performs a database lookup using the caller's phone number. If the number is assigned to another carrier, then the TSP pays for a “CNAM dip” with a CNAM provider. This generally costs around $0.002–$0.006 per dip. CNAM has a maximum length of 15 characters. CNAM information is sometimes stale.

Branded calling benefits

Many enterprises have started using branded calling services to transmit their caller name with some of their calls. This improves call completion, which can be well worthwhile on their high value calls. Branded calling gives the organization control over the name that's presented to the called party; it's more accurate than CNAM.

Branded calling supports longer caller names, up to 35 characters. It also enables the enterprise to send their logo and call reason with their branded calls to improve call completion. Support for the display of long calling name, logo, and call reason depends on the capabilities of the called party's handset.

Branded Calling ID^™ (BCID)

Branded Calling ID^™ is a new standards-based, nonproprietary, industry-led ecosystem that enables Originating Service Providers (OSPs) to offer branded calling services to their enterprise customers.

When an enterprise arranges to brand its calls with BCID, its caller name, logo, and call reason(s) are independently vetted by authorized Vetting Agents. This ensures that branded calling information sent via BCID is trustworthy and accurate.

Branded calling lowers CNAM costs and improves customer experience

When a TSP receives a call that carries BCID branded calling information, it can save money by using the caller name in the SHAKEN PASSporT instead of performing a CNAM dip. The TSP knows that the branded calling information was independently vetted and accurate.

Free CNAM!

Using the branded caller name also improves customer experience. The TSP's subscriber knows who is calling, and the caller name presented is more accurate than CNAM.

These benefits are available to any TSP in the U.S. You don't have to do anything other than configure your STIR/SHAKEN system to utilize this information for calls that provide it.

If the TSP joins the BCID ecosystem and becomes an authorized BCID TSP, then it can get paid for presenting BCID branded calling information to its subscribers.

TSPs have choices:

1. Pay for less accurate CNAM.
2. Use a more accurate, trusted branded caller name for free.
3. Join BCID and get paid for presenting BCID branded calling information to your subscribers.

Case study: Presenting caller name in ClearIP

Our ClearIP platform is ready to go with any of the choices listed above.

CNAM

ClearIP can provide CNAM services. Just configure CNAM Policies in Inbound Services. Policies can be configured in different ways to apply to groups of calls or individual calling or called numbers.

Free caller name in BCID calls—you should use it!

As BCID usage grows, you'll be terminating more calls that contain BCID information. Your ClearIP system can use it—you should take advantage of the information you will already have. You'll save money and make your subscribers happier.

You can configure this in ClearIP as follows:

• SBC configuration, set the CNAM Header and Call Info Header configuration prompts to the values that work with your network equipment.
• STI Verification Policies, set the Return Rich Call Data Claims option to Yes.

Note that you can configure these options even without joining BCID as an authorized TSP. Free CNAM! This is a great first step for TSPs to take advantage of BCID.

Get paid to display BCID caller information

ClearIP can report BCID display to the BCID platform, so you get paid for sending BCID information to your subscribers. We can help you register with BCID as an authorized TSP.

Then, you just configure BCID Passing Confirmation Policies in STI. These policies control the reporting of BCID display activity to the BCID platform. These messages include your BCID Terminating Service Provider ID so that you get paid for BCID display.

Branded Calling ID^™ is a service mark of CTIA.

TransNexus solutions

TransNexus is a leader in developing innovative software to manage and protect telecommunications networks worldwide. The company has over 25 years of experience in providing telecom software solutions including toll fraud prevention, robocall mitigation and prevention, CDR and call analytics, advanced call routing, billing support, STIR/SHAKEN, and branded calling.

Contact us today to learn more.