CNAM - (Caller ID)

What is CNAM?

CNAM (Calling NAMe), is an outside telecom service that US phone companies use to pair incoming numbers with names for Caller ID purposes. Carriers update their information from a CNAM database and it is the receiving carrier that ultimately controls obtaining up to date information and displaying the CNAM on incoming calls.

Setting up CNAM for your tracking lines

A CNAM can only be a maximum of 15 characters, including spaces. The CNAM may contain letters and numbers but may not start with a number.

To register a CNAM for your CallPotential tracking lines, you must select a common CNAM for all numbers in your account. You can request to set-up CNAM by contacting your Customer Success Manager or CallPotential Support.

How long does it take for my registered CNAM to display?

Once we complete the registration, it can take 42 - 78 hours to update in the CNAM database. The timeframe for these changes to display can vary and depends on how frequently individual carriers update their CNAM information. Some carriers may update CNAM information more frequently than others. Depending on the carrier, your updated CNAM may display for calls on some networks faster than others.

Why is my registered CNAM not displaying?

For CNAM to display accurately, the recipient’s carrier must query the CNAM database and update their records. If a carrier has not recently performed a query, it may cause the recipient to see outdated CNAM information. Remember, it is the receiving carrier that ultimately controls the Caller ID. Even though CallPotential can register a CNAM for your tracking lines, we have no way to control if/when individual carriers actually display the updated information.

It’s also important to note that the registered CNAM display name only appears on devices if enabled by the subscriber. For traditional landlines, CNAM is always enabled by default. For mobile devices, some carriers offer for free, but others might require users to download an app to display CNAM. Some carriers might even charge for this service.

What can I do if my calls are being marked as spam?

One option that might help is to register your US numbers with the FCC via Free Caller Registry. You can find more information at Free Caller Registry