Written by
Sarah Blantz, Marketing Specialist - Channel Lead
Mary Gonzalez, Director of Brand & Content
Published on
August 29, 2023
Updated on
July 2, 2025
Imagine you’re a healthcare provider whose calls are being mislabeled as “Unknown,” leading to distrust, ignored calls, and missed opportunities to provide essential care. Or perhaps you work for an airline trying to inform passengers of a last-minute flight change, but the calls are being tagged as “Telemarketing,” resulting in confusion, missed flights, and upset customers who may end up switching airlines to one they think will be more trustworthy or reliable. Though different than reputation-based labels like “Spam” and “Scam,” they have one major thing in common: they can happen to anyone.
Call intent labeling is more than a technical term in today’s telecom space; it’s a critical component that defines the way calls are categorized, such as “Healthcare,” “Nonprofit,” or “Account Services.” While the concept may seem clear-cut, the reality is fraught with inconsistency and misunderstanding. It’s an issue that goes beyond reputation management and branded calling, affecting every organization that relies on transparent and efficient communication.
Here is a list of the most commonly applied call intent labels that can be seen across the various carriers and devices:
Call intent labeling can serve as a vital guide, enabling end-users to discern the nature of incoming communications, differentiating genuine interactions from potential spam or unwanted phone calls. While this particular labeling system intends to provide transparency into the nature of the call, it’s not uniformly applied across the industry.
Different carriers may interpret and display these labels in numerous ways, adding a layer of complexity to an already intricate process. Generally, carriers default to specific call intents but with some free call filtering services, consumers may only see labels like “Healthcare” or “Public Service” when a display name is not available. Other call intents may not appear at all.
When premium call filtering services are deployed, the situation evolves, displaying a broader spectrum of labels like “Telemarketing,” “Survey,” or “Nonprofit” when the display name is absent. These variations among carriers highlight the unique challenges of call intent labeling, transcending the capabilities of standard solutions.
CNAM, or Caller ID Name, operates through a network of databases maintained by different telecommunications providers and carriers. When a call is made, the terminating service provider queries its proprietary database to retrieve the name associated with the caller’s number. That information is then displayed on the recipient's phone screen.
CNAM seems simple enough, but the process is rife with roadblocks that can lead to inconsistencies and confounding delays. CNAM’s effectiveness varies because it’s more complicated than updating a name; it involves navigating a web of providers who control the information, technical considerations, and potential risks in multiple CNAM databases.
The CNAM displayed is vulnerable to discrepancies as wireless carriers use a combination of crowd-sourced data from 3rd party analytics companies and multiple databases, to record the CNAM. About 8 CNAM Database providers, some carrier-run, others independent, maintain these records, but not all are equally updated, used, or maintained. Plus, service providers may subscribe to one or more of them.
This decentralized infrastructure can lead to inaccuracies and issues with accessibility of data and lack of input and control directly from the brand to multiple database providers. The chaotic nature of CNAM can have real-world implications for trust, communication, and even business success. When there is no display name associated with the number, a general call intent may be applied by the carrier, and you may not know what call intent you’re being labeled with.
Traditional call monitoring systems, built on principles and practices that may have once been groundbreaking, now reveal themselves as constrained by their own design. Like a machine unable to learn new languages, they speak in tones that may no longer resonate with the dynamic nuances of a world that refuses to stand still.
Traditional systems suffer from a lack of adaptability with their inflexible frameworks, meaning they often fail to offer tailored solutions for specific business demands. These systems provide limited insights into call intent labeling, leaving businesses uninformed while operating reactively rather than proactively. Inconsistencies in brand representation across carriers and technological barriers make it even harder to know how your calls are actually being labeled, leading many to over-invest in multiple testing devices.
Overall, these models lack the depth of partnership needed, exposing a sizable gap in traditional monitoring that claims to be in real-time.
Today’s telecom arena demands more than traditional solutions. It requires an approach rooted in expertise, innovation, and unwavering commitment to solving the real challenges that businesses face every day. Numeracle’s end-to-end Entity Identity Management (EIM) Platform represents a radical departure from conventional methods, offering a suite of solutions that respond not only to present challenges but anticipate future needs.
On-demand visual confirmation of call identity, including real screenshots of live calls across top wireless carriers. This tool allows you to spot-check registered numbers at will, offering unique insights into call intent labeling when it's most critical. By bridging the gap between differing labels, Number Check ensures that your messages reach their intended audience with clarity and accuracy, empowering users with more than just monitoring.
Numeracle's Smart Branding solution redefines the management of call intent by enabling intelligent, customized branding choices so you control exactly what’s being delivered on call screens, without having to manage updating your CNAM in multiple databases. Instead, brand the calls that make the most sense to brand; not all calls or numbers need to be branded or have explicit caller information. Rather than an all-in approach, which can lead to high costs, our strategic method allows you to start small and iteratively refine your approach while comparing branded and non-branded campaigns to make informed decisions. This allows for strategic enhancement of your branding efforts without a complete overhaul or prohibitive costs, adding value precisely where it matters most.
If you deal in an industry that is particularly vulnerable to improper labeling, whether it be a “Scam Likely” label or “Telemarketing” label, Numeracle offers unparalleled expertise in the field. Our dedicated Client Engagement Team, all with a past working in the call center space, works closely with you to consult you on best dialing practices to help you further avoid any improper labels. While we’re able to actively protect 99.77% of a clients’ phone numbers registered to our platform from reputation-based labeling, if any improper “Scam” or “Spam” labels do appear, we proactively remediate them on your behalf, and we can provide full visibility into how your calls are being delivered and displayed to consumers. For incorrect intent-based labeling that doesn’t accurately match the intent of your calls, we can also help you through the process of changing the category displayed to a more appropriate category that most accurately matches the content of your calls.
In a market crowded with similar solutions, standing out requires a personalized, hands-on approach that truly aligns with your needs. At Numeracle, we've seamlessly blended innovation and customization. Our recent webinar, "Excellence in Customer Care: The Numeracle Difference," showcased how this unique combination empowers clients to harness tailored solutions for success. If you're dealing with improper spam or call intent labels, our team is here to provide the expertise and customized solutions you need.
With years of industry-leading success, our team understands the difficulties involved with managing your number reputation.
If you’re reading this, you’re already on the path to identifying the reputation management solution best suited for your business. Knowing there’s much to unpack here, our team is available to offer personalized recommendations via one-on-one free consultations of your current dialing landscape and labeling situation. Contact us today to schedule a free assessment and regain control of your call delivery.
Number Reputation Management is the proactive process of monitoring, protecting, and improving the trustworthiness of your outbound phone numbers. It involves understanding how your numbers are perceived by carriers, analytics providers, and ultimately, call recipients. The goal is to ensure your legitimate calls are delivered and answered by preventing them from being mislabeled as spam or blocked, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of your phone outreach efforts.
Your outbound phone numbers may have a bad reputation for several interconnected reasons that affect how carriers, call-blocking apps, and recipients perceive your calls. One common cause is high call volume or frequent outbound calls, especially if those calls resemble telemarketing or robocall patterns.
Automated systems and spam detection algorithms are designed to flag numbers that make many calls in a short period without receiving many answers, as this behavior often matches that of spam callers. Additionally, if consumers frequently report your number as spam because they find the calls intrusive or unfamiliar, this can quickly damage your number’s reputation and lead to it being labeled with warnings like "Potential Spam" or "Scam Likely."
Your number might also be flagged if your calling practices do not comply with regulations such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), for example by calling numbers on Do Not Call lists or using automated calls without proper consent. Using numbers that appear random, toll-free, or from suspicious area codes can contribute to negative perceptions as well, since these are often associated with robocalls.
Furthermore, if your CRM data is outdated or you lack insights into the best times to call, you might be contacting people who are less likely to answer or more likely to report your calls as spam, which further harms your reputation.
While Caller ID Name (CNAM) offers a basic level of caller identification by displaying a name, branded caller ID presents a significantly more advantageous solution for businesses seeking to enhance their communication. Branded caller ID goes beyond a simple text display, allowing for the inclusion of branded assets. This richer visual and contextual information fosters greater trust and recognition with recipients, leading to higher answer rates compared to calls identified only by a potentially truncated name through CNAM.
Although it may involve a higher cost, the enhanced branding, like Numeracle’s Smart Branding solution, increased trust, and improved call engagement offered by branded caller ID make it a far more effective strategy for businesses aiming to make a strong and reliable impression with their outbound communications.
Managing spam labeling directly with each carrier or analytics provider is a fragmented, manual, and reactive process that often leads to inconsistent results and long delays. Every provider has its own forms, workflows, and timelines, making it difficult to scale and requiring internal teams to track and follow up on each number individually.
Numeracle solves this by offering a single, aggregated platform that handles number registration, protection, and remediation across all major U.S. carriers and analytics engines. Instead of waiting for labels to appear, Numeracle proactively ties your numbers to a Verified Identity to help prevent labeling in the first place. When labels do occur, Numeracle manages the full remediation process on your behalf, resolving issues quickly—often within just 1.5 days.
With built-in tools like Number Check for real-time visibility and a centralized dashboard for full oversight, Numeracle delivers faster results, better protection, and less operational burden. For enterprises, this comprehensive, identity-based approach is far more effective and scalable than navigating carrier fixes alone.
