Frequently Asked Questions
Wireless Block Identifier – FAQ’s
Question: What is the Wireless Block Identifier® file?
Answer: The Wireless Block Identifier® file identifies the area codes and exchanges, or blocks of numbers initially assigned to wireless carriers active within the U.S. and Canada.
Question: How often is the Wireless Block Identifier® file updated?
Answer: The Wireless Block Identifier® file is updated twice a month for download around the 10th and 24th each month.
Question: How many blocks of telephone numbers are in the Wireless Block Identifier® file?
Answer: The Wireless Block Identifier® file contains over 750,000 blocks representing approximately 750 million phone numbers that are currently assigned or will be assigned to wireless telephones.
Question: How many fields are in the Wireless Block Identifier® file?
Answer: There are five fields in the Wireless Block Identifier® file and are labeled:
- NPS (area code)
- NXX (exchange)
- X (1st digit of the remaining number - the block of 1,000 numbers)
- Category (all listed categories are wireless numbers)
- Future Use (reserved for future use)
Question: Is the Wireless Block Identifier® file the only file I need to identify all wireless telephones?
Answer: To correctly identify all wireless telephone numbers, organizations must use the Wireless Block Identifier® file and the Wireless Ported Number file together.
Wireless Ported Number – FAQ’s
Question: What is the Wireless Ported Number file?
Answer: The Wireless Ported Number zip file contains one file of telephone numbers that were originally landlines and ported to wireless and one file of telephone numbers that were originally wireless and ported to landlines.
Question: How often is the Wireless Ported Number file updated?
Answer: The Wireless Ported Number file updated is updated daily.
Question: What is updated daily in the Wireless Ported Number file?
Answer: Each day a full replacement of the Wireless Ported Number file will be posted. This file will contain all the wireless ported numbers to date.
Question: Why should I buy the Wireless Ported Number file from Interactive Marketing Solutions (IMS)?
Answer: The original the Wireless Ported Number file from iConectiv, the custodian of the data, includes a from-to range of numbers or just the 10-digit number. Interactive Marketing Solutions (IMS) Wireless Ported Number file provides the full 10-digit number plus the date the number was ported. Why is the date important; the use of this field will identify how long this number has been ported and may be used with our TCPA Litigation and Audit package to identify previoulsy called numbers as landlines or wireless.
Question: Why do I need to sign both the iConectiv and Interactive Marketing Solutions (IMS) agreements if I am buying the file from Interactive Marketing Solutions (IMS)?
Answer: iConectiv, the custodian of the data, requires all organizations having access to the data to sign their agreement and agree that the data will not be shared with users outside of their organizations.
Reassigned Number Database – FAQ’s
Question: When did the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) begin collecting disconnected telephone information?
Answer: The Federal Communications Committee (FCC) began collecting disconnected telephone information late January 2020, however it was not until January 2021 that all operating companies were reporting disconnects. In December 2021 the FCC permitted callers to query the database.
Question: What is the Reassigned Number Database (RND)?
Answer: The Reassigned Number Database (RND) was developed and made operational by the Federal Communications Committee (FCC) on November 1, 2021. It is a database of telephone numbers that have been permanently disconnected (or reassigned) and includes the date of disconnect. “Callers” are advised to use the database to:
- Save time and money by eliminating calls to the wrong person.
- Protect their brand and ensure they have the correct contact information for their customers.
- Take advantage of Safe Harbor protection provided by the TCPA and stay out of the headlines.
Question: What are some statistics of the Reassigned Number Database (RND)?
Answer: As of Q3 2022, some statics are as follows:
- The database contains 260 million disconnected numbers.
- There is an average of 22 million changes to the RND each month.
- The number of monthly queries submitted by callers has increased 550% since January 2022.
- 7% of telephone numbers submitted with consent dates after 01/26/2021 have been disconnected.
Question: Why should I use Interactive Marketing Solutions (IMS) as a caller agent for the Reassigned Number Database (RND)?
Answer: The advantages to using Interactive Marketing Solutions (IMS) as your caller agent are:
Ease of registration and data submission
- There are several steps in the registration process that are confusing to the casual user.
- IMS registration is simple just create a new account, or existing customers just log-in, and subscribe to our SmartClean service.
- Data files may be submitted from any workstation or terminal by any staff member.
- No complicated forms to complete.
- IMS will complete the RND registration process for you and be sure to include your identification on each query submitted for “safe-harbor’’ protection.
No requirement to purchase large blocks of queries
- The RND requires the advance purchase of query packages in a pre-determined size. The choice of query blocks can get confusing and expensive. Also, if you don’t use all the queries within a fixed timeframe, they are forfeited.
- For most IMS query submissions, pay only for the queries you submit, when you submit them.
Flexible file and data formats
- File sizes of up to 15,000,000 records may be submitted. The RND maximum file size is 1 million records, which we handle in a manner transparent to our clients.
- Telephone numbers may be in any standard format, with or without dashes, and other delimiters.
- Dates may be in any standard date format.
- Up to 2 optional fields of data may be included in each record.
- Each data field will be returned in the format it was received – for ease of matching back to internal files and databases.
- Invalid data is flagged and returned consistent with the file format (RND separates and returns records containing validation errors in an inconsistent format).
Identification of Wireless, Landline and VoIP telephone numbers
- Subscribers to our Wireless Block Identifier®, Ported Number and VoIP Block Identifier® files will receive wireless, landline or VoIP identification for each telephone number submitted free of charge.
Question: How can I get started with Interactive Marketing Solutions (IMS) using the Reassigned Number Database (RND)?
Answer: Complete and email the Interactive Marketing Solutions (IMS) caller agent registration package: to solutions@ims-dm.com to provide us permission to register you as a client and upload data on your behalf.
Question: Who should use the Reassigned Number Database (RND)?
Answer: Any entity or enterprise that calls or texts, for things like appointment reminders, service renewals, debt collection, customer service notifications, value-added service offers, etc. should use the RND. “Callers” must use the database to identify if a Telephone number has been disconnected since the date of the last successful contact and to help ensure they are contacting the correct customer.
Question: How do you use the Reassigned Number Database (RND)?
Answer: The Reassigned Number Database (RND) is not a database that an organization can download and use on their premises. The consumer telephone numbers and date the number was last successfully called must be uploaded by the calling company or caller agent. This information will be used to query the database and identify if the number has been disconnected/reassigned since the date submitted.
Question: What's the maximum number of telephone numbers, in one file, that the Reassigned Number Database (RND) can process?
Answer: Each file uploaded to the Reassigned Number Database (RND) can have up to one million telephone numbers in it. If you have over one million telephone numbers, you will need to submit multiple files. However, Interactive Marketing Solutions (IMS) will accept files up to 15 million (and larger upon request) permitting our clients to avoid the Reassigned Number Database (RND) file size limitations.
Question: Why is it important to use the Reassigned Number Database (RND)?
Answer: The FCC continues to remind callers that failure to use the Reassigned Number Database (RND) subjects them to liability under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), resulting in fines of $500 to $1,500 per call/text. And the worst part is the calling company may not realize they are violating the TCPA until they are hit with the costly fines.
Question: Has anyone been sued for violating the TCPA?
Answer: We encourage you to search YouTube for "TCPA wrong number" (especially "SecretSauce", an interview with Mike Greenwald) to get an idea of how lucrative it is for attorneys to sue for TCPA violations.