Using Telco Data & Identity Services for Lead Scoring

You may or may not be aware that Telnyx offers several products that allow customers to access data about a phone number. Telco data ot identity services is essentially numbering and calling metadata used to determine routing paths and calculate billing charges. But, telco data can also be used to establish context around incoming calls or verify contact information for inbound leads.

There are several types of identity services including:

1. Switch Data

Allows you to access routing and switch information associated with the native numbering block like rate centers and geographical information. The Switch data API will let you look up native numbering routing data such as:

• Rate centers by city, state or zipcode
• Prefixes and carrier names
• Operator carrier numbers (OCN)
• Local access and transport areas (LATA)

2. Local Routing Number (LRN) Data

Allows you to identify the carrier with which a number is associated, ensuring that you are properly routing, rating and billing for calls. For example:

• If a number has been ported, LRN can be used to route the call to its final destination.
• In terms of billing you might wish to validate that the calls in the past were billed and or routed correctly, or check for differences in how much calls were billed for across inter/intra regions.

3. Caller ID Name (CNAM) Data

Standard Caller ID is still an opt-in service. You can opt to display name information in additional to a phone number when making a call, but the number must be registered in a central database. For users in the United states, this database is called CNAM. CNAM allows you to gain access to Caller ID Name data via an endpoint so that you can verify contacts, know who’s calling before you pick up and minimize risk and fraud.

How can telco data support lead scoring and improve sales operations?

There is arguably an even tighter connection between a telephone number and a user’s identity than ever before, which presents an opportunity for telco data to be used as inputs for lead scoring.

The data gathered can help your business build a robust, 360-degree view of callers and potential buyers. For example, a typical scenario would be to receive real-time information about incoming calls, but that same information can be used to confirm the identity of leads in a purchased marketing list or inbound leads with little information.

It doesn’t end there though. You can use telco data as a security indicator. For example, if a caller ID doesn’t align with the other ID details you have on record, then it might be a spoof caller or a fake ID.

You could also use identity services to clean up your CRM and marketing database. A common task is to use it to find old contacts whose phone numbers have changed or no longer in service.

About Telnyx Identity Services

Telnyx improves your caller experiences by giving you and your users the caller information that you need exactly when you need it. We provide most robust database of caller metadata and routing information accessible by API, including Caller ID Name, LRN and Switch data.

FAQ

What does Telco stand for? Telco stands for telecommunications company, a provider that builds and operates communication networks. The term often refers to carriers that deliver voice, messaging, and data services to consumers and enterprises.

What is telecom data? Telecom data is information generated by communication networks and services, including signaling, location, quality metrics, and billing records. It can also include content and metadata from messaging types like SMS and MMS when those messages are processed or stored.

What is a telco network? A telco network is the infrastructure that carries voice, messaging, and internet traffic across wired, wireless, and IP domains. It spans access, transport, and core components that interconnect the public switched telephone network and the internet.

What does a telco do? A telco provides connectivity by operating spectrum and fiber, allocating numbers, and routing traffic across domestic and international networks. Many expose services like voice and SMS through communications APIs so businesses can embed real-time communications into their applications.

What is a Call Detail Record in telecom? A Call Detail Record is a structured log of an event such as a voice session or message that captures timestamps, identifiers, routing, duration, and status. CDRs are used for billing, analytics, and compliance because they provide an auditable trail of how traffic moved through the network.

How is telco data used in messaging, and how do SMS and MMS differ? In messaging, telco data includes the message content where applicable, delivery receipts, encoding, and routing details that determine how traffic is handled end to end. SMS carries text-only payloads while MMS adds media, so the SMS vs. MMS differences drive variations in data size, throughput, and pricing.

What is the difference between MMS group and broadcast messaging? MMS group messaging creates a single conversation where participants see replies and shared media, while broadcast messaging sends individual threads that keep recipients separate. For privacy and compliance, the choice between group and broadcast messaging affects what participant data is exposed in headers and message bodies.