Phone Number Lookup API: Carrier Information, Portability & Fraud Detection - api-documentation - phone-lookup-api, e164-format, carrier-lookup, number-portability, lrn, fraud-detection, phone-validation, api-reference, telecommunications, hlr-lookup

Phone Number Lookup API

Retrieve comprehensive phone number intelligence with the Phone Number Lookup API. Get real-time carrier identification, number portability status, and fraud detection data for any phone number worldwide. This REST API supports E.164 international phone number format and returns detailed information including Location Routing Number (LRN), Service Provider ID (SPID), Operating Company Number (OCN), line type classification, and porting history. Ideal for validating customer phone numbers, preventing fraud, optimizing SMS delivery routes, and maintaining accurate contact databases.

Overview

The Phone Number Lookup API retrieves detailed information about phone numbers, including carrier details, portability status, and fraud detection. Use E.164 format for global compatibility.

E.164 Format Requirements: E.164 is the ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union) international standard for telephone numbering. Start numbers with a plus sign (+), followed by the country code (1–3 digits), and the subscriber number. Limit total length to 15 digits maximum (excluding the + sign). Example: +12345678900 (US number with country code 1).

Key Features

  • Carrier Information: Identify the service provider and network type.
  • Fraud Detection: Detect potential fraudulent activity linked to the number.
  • Portability Status: Check if a number has been ported to a different carrier.

Rate Limit

  • Multi-region: 15 requests per 60 seconds

API Base URL

https://www.sent.dm/api

API Endpoints

GET /phone-lookup

Summary

Perform a lookup for a phone number in E.164 format. Returns comprehensive data including carrier, portability, and fraud status.

Request Parameters

ParameterInRequiredTypeDescription
phonequerytruestringThe phone number in E.164 format (e.g., +12345678900). Must match the pattern: ^\+[1-9]\d{1,14}$

Response

200 OK

A successful response includes detailed phone number information.

json
{
  "data": {
    "country_code": "US",
    "national_format": "(234) 567-8900",
    "phone_number": "+12345678900",
    "fraud": null,
    "carrier": {
      "mobile_country_code": "221",
      "mobile_network_code": "01",
      "name": "PTK sh.a./Vala",
      "type": "mobile",
      "error_code": null,
      "normalized_carrier": ""
    },
    "caller_name": null,
    "nnid_override": null,
    "portability": {
      "lrn": "234567XXXX",
      "ported_status": "",
      "ported_date": null,
      "ocn": "6959",
      "line_type": "mobile",
      "spid": "",
      "spid_carrier_name": "CELLCO PARTNERSHIP DBA VERIZON",
      "spid_carrier_type": "",
      "altspid": "",
      "altspid_carrier_name": "",
      "altspid_carrier_type": "",
      "city": "MAHOPAC",
      "state": "New York"
    },
    "valid_number": true,
    "record_type": "number_lookup"
  },
  "poweredBy": "Powered by Sent.dm - [Visit Sent.dm](https://www.sent.dm)"
}
Response Fields Explained

Portability Fields:

  • lrn (Location Routing Number): A 10-digit number assigned to the telephone switch serving the number. Used for call routing in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP). When a number is ported, the LRN identifies the destination switch regardless of the original number's area code.
  • ocn (Operating Company Number): A 4-character code assigned by NECA (National Exchange Carrier Association) that uniquely identifies the telecommunications service provider.
  • spid (Service Provider ID): A 4-character alphanumeric identifier assigned by the Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC) to identify the service provider in the number portability system.
  • ported_status: Indicates whether the number has been moved from its original carrier to a different provider.
  • line_type: Type of line (e.g., mobile, landline, VoIP).

Carrier Fields:

  • mobile_country_code: A 3-digit code identifying the country (part of the IMSI identification used in mobile networks).
  • mobile_network_code: A 2-3 digit code identifying the mobile network operator within the country.

Error Responses

400 Bad Request

Returned when the phone number format is incorrect.

json
{
  "error": "Invalid phone number format. Must be in E.164 format."
}

429 Too Many Requests

Returned when the rate limit is exceeded.

json
{
  "error": "Rate limit exceeded. Please wait and try again."
}

500 Internal Server Error

Returned when there is an internal error processing the request.

json
{
  "error": "Failed to retrieve phone data."
}

For more information on the E.164 format, visit the official E.164 documentation.

Technical References

Standards and Specifications:

Number Portability and Carrier Identification:

Frequently Asked Questions

The Phone Number Lookup API retrieves detailed information about phone numbers. This includes carrier details, portability status, and fraud detection, supporting E.164 formatted numbers for global use.

Send a GET request to the /phone-lookup endpoint with the phone number as a query parameter. The number should be in E.164 format (e.g., +12345678900) and the base URL is https://www.sent.dm/api.

The API has a rate limit of 15 requests per 60 seconds across multiple regions. Exceeding this limit will result in a 429 Too Many Requests error.

Use the Phone Number Lookup API's /phone-lookup endpoint. The response includes details like mobile country code, mobile network code, carrier name, and type, within the 'carrier' object.

E.164 is an international standard for phone number formatting. It ensures global compatibility and includes a plus sign (+) followed by the country code and national number, like +12345678900.

The E.164 format is required for global compatibility and consistent processing of phone numbers from different countries. This ensures the API can accurately identify and retrieve information.

The endpoint is /phone-lookup, accessed via a GET request to the base URL https://www.sent.dm/api. The request must include the phone number as a query parameter named 'phone'.

The Phone Number Lookup API includes fraud detection capabilities. The response to a /phone-lookup request contains a 'fraud' field, providing information about potential fraudulent activity associated with the number.

Use this API when you need to verify phone number details, identify carriers, detect potential fraud, check portability, or obtain other information related to a given phone number in your application.

A 400 Bad Request error usually indicates an invalid phone number format. Ensure the provided number adheres to the E.164 standard, including the '+' sign and correct country code.

Yes, the Phone Number Lookup API provides portability information. The 'portability' object in the API response includes details on whether a number has been ported, along with relevant dates and carrier information.

The API returns various details, including country code, national format, carrier information (name, type, codes), fraud indicators, portability status, and caller name (if available), plus validation status.

This error indicates you've exceeded the API's rate limit (15 requests per 60 seconds). Wait for a minute before sending another request to avoid further issues.

The 'poweredBy' field acknowledges Sent.dm as the provider of the API and includes a link to their website (https://www.sent.dm).