CNAM is a caller ID registry that can help you display your business or custom name to clients. Here is an overview of CNAM setup and how it works.
User Level:
Admin
Before you start:
CNAM and Branded Calling registration is available within CloudTalk for US local numbers.
USA Toll-free and international numbers are not eligible for CNAM registration.
To confirm if your number qualifies, contact our Numbers team at [email protected] before submitting your request.
Branded Calling vs CNAM Overview
There are two ways that name can be displayed on your outbound calls to USA.
CNAM is a database developed around landlines and old Caller ID systems. It allows businesses to upload their phone numbers + company name into a national database that some carriers reference when connecting calls.
CNAM consists of a 15-character string, which needs to correlate to your business name or trading name.
Branded Calling (sometimes referred to as Verified Calling or BCID) is the modern mobile counterpart to CNAM. If you're looking for a more modern and verifiable Business caller ID solution, this is your best choice.
Branded Calling can support a 15 or 32-character string, which needs to correlate to your business name or trading name.
CloudTalk can natively support USA Branded Calling that displays your company name on calls.
CloudTalk can also facilitate Advanced Branded Calling which shows the company name + logo + reason for calling in USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia through an external partner.
To learn more about Advanced Branded Calling, contact your account manager or our Numbers team at [email protected]
Feature | CNAM | USA Branded Calling |
What it is? | Legacy system built around landlines | Modern system designed for mobile networks |
How it works? | Receiving carriers perform a database lookup (“CNAM dip”) | Caller name and brand info sent directly between carriers |
Display reliability | Limited and inconsistent, especially on calls to mobiles. | Verifiable display on supported mobile devices |
Cost | Free | Paid - priced per outgoing Branded Call |
Setup time | Up to 7-10 business days after registration | Under 48 hours after registration |
Best for | Basic business name display on U.S. landlines | Verified branding and higher answer rates on calls to mobiles |
What is the CNAM Database in the USA?
The CNAM (Calling Name) database is a national registry used in the United States to display the caller’s name alongside their phone number on Caller ID systems.
While the phone number is transmitted during a call, the caller's name is not directly sent. Instead, the receiving telecom provider queries the CNAM database to retrieve and display the associated name.
How Does the CNAM Database Work?
Outgoing Call: When a call is made, the caller's phone number is sent through the network.
CNAM Lookup: The receiving carrier performs a CNAM dip (a database query) to find the name linked to the incoming number.
Caller ID Display: The caller’s name (up to 15 characters) is displayed on the recipient’s phone, if available.
What is Caller Name Presentation (CNP)?
This is just the other name for CNAM in Canada. Please note that CNP in Canada is not supported for all numbers.
How to set your company name in CNAM database or USA Branded Calling?
Please contact our numbering support team [email protected] for more information on how to register your numbers
In order to set up either CNAM or CloudTalk Branded Calling (name-only) on the USA numbers, we will need the following information:
Legal Business Name
Business Address
Business type: sole proprietor, LLC, corporation, non-profit etc
Industry
Business registration number and ID Type: (for USA needs to be the EIN number or DUNS number)
Regions of operation
Website URL
Authorized Representative / Contact:
First and Last Name
Email
Business title
Phone number
Estimated Number of USA Calls per month
Company Size (number of employees)
What CNAM name would you like to have: (CNAM consists of a 15-character string max)
Additional Requirements for Branded Calling:
What Branded Calling name would you like to have: (32 character string max)
Numbers you would like to Brand:
you do not need to Brand outbound calls from all your numbers, but all eligible outbound calls from specified numbers will be Branded and charged
Use case description: the types of calls you will be making from the number
Use case consent description: how you receive the contact phone numbers that you will be calling, and how the customer has consented to receive calls from you
Signed Branded Calling LOA: this template will be provided to you by CloudTalk's Numbers Team.
You can contact your account manager or [email protected] to discuss USA Branded Calling Pricing.
We can use this same information to register your calls for STIR/SHAKEN Verified Calling.
This registers your numbers with USA operators' call verification protocol, which can help prevent spam labelling and call filtering
Processing times
Type | Description | Typical Duration |
CNAM | Updates in the national database usually take up to 7–10 business days to propagate across all U.S. carriers. Not all carriers refresh their data at the same time, so your name may appear gradually across different networks. | 7–10 business days |
Branded Calling | Profile registration typically takes about 7 business days. Once the profile is approved, it can take up to 48 hours for the caller name to appear. | ~7 business days for registration + up to 48 hours for name display |
⚠️ Limitations of CNAM:
CloudTalk offers CNAM database registration to our customers free of charge. Delivery is on a best effort basis due to its functional limitations.
Inconsistent Delivery:
CNAM was developed around landlines networks and has limited support on mobile networks.
Both you and the person you’re calling need support CNAM display, leading to generic labels like "WIRELESS CALLER" or "UNKNOWN."
No Direct Caller Control: Callers can’t directly edit their CNAM entry; it must be managed through their service provider.
Not supported on all number types: USA Toll-Free numbers cannot be uploaded into the CNAM database
Where will Advanced Branded Calling work?
Advanced Branded Calling is being rapidly rolled out across the world!
Branded calling relies on inter-carrier collaboration and agreements so there might not be 100% coverage in your desired country.
However since Branded Calling can increase call rates ~4x, partial coverage can still be a huge advantage for your business
| Overall Country Coverage | Samsung S7+(all networks) | Verizon (iOS and other Androids) | T-Mobile(iOS and other Androids) | AT&T (iOS and other Androids) |
USA | ~70% | √ | √ | √ | X |
| Overall Country Coverage | Samsung S7+ | Rogers | Bell | Telus |
Canada | 75% | √ | √ | √ | X (best effort) |
| Overall Country Coverage | Samsung S7+
(all networks) | Virgin Media/O2 | BT/EE | Vodafone |
United Kingdom | 73% | √ | √ | √ | X |
| Overall Country Coverage | Samsung S7+
(all networks) | O2 | Vodafone | T-Mobile/ Deutsche Telecom |
Germany | 45% | √ | √ | √ | X |
If you need further assistance or have any questions, you can always contact our Support Team. We are always here to help you!