Caller ID processing delay
There's been a recent update to the requirements in the CNAM (caller ID) submission process by one of our carriers. We are implementing these changes and expect them to be completed in the coming months. You can still follow the steps below to set up a caller ID but please note this processing delay. We will automatically submit your registration request once these changes have been made.
Want to have your name or your company name show up when you call from your OpenPhone number? You can easily do this by setting up caller ID! Learn more below:
Who can set up caller ID?
You’ll need to be an owner or admin in your OpenPhone workspace to set or update the caller ID for a phone number.
Which app can I set up caller ID on?
You can set or update caller ID on the web or desktop app.
How to add a caller ID to any OpenPhone number
Here's a video highlighting how to quickly set caller ID 👇
Don't want to watch a video? No worries! Here are the steps 👇
1. Click “Settings” from the left-hand menu of the web or desktop app.
2. Below “Workspace”, select “General”.
3. Click “Add a name” under “Caller ID names” and enter the caller ID you have in mind.
4. Click next to the proposed caller ID name where it currently displays 0 numbers and select as many numbers in your workspace that you’d like to have that caller ID. Click out of the pop-up menu to save and you’ll see the status for that request goes to “Pending”.
⭐️ Note: Submitting a caller ID name will not automatically assign it to your OpenPhone number, please link your desired caller ID name once approved.
How to update an existing caller ID?
1. Click “Settings” from the left-hand menu.
2. Under “Workspace”, select “General”.
3. Click “…” and choose “Update name” to enter in your new preferred caller ID.
Note: Changes made to an existing Caller ID name will be submitted for approval. Your new Caller ID name will show as “Pending”. Changes are generally approved within 48 hours. Your old Caller ID name will continue to be displayed on outgoing calls if you are updating a previously approved Caller ID name.
Want to learn more about what an outgoing caller ID (or CNAM) is and how it works? We've got you covered.
How much time does it take to update my caller ID information?
We will request updates to CNAM records weekly. From the time of the update, it sometimes takes 2-3 days for your caller ID information to start showing up.
Frequently asked questions
How does an outgoing caller ID or CNAM work?
Carriers populate one of several authoritative caller ID databases with subscriber data. Now when you get an OpenPhone number, we'll be able to do this for you.
Carriers also consume data from these databases. If you ever saw the name of the caller on your screen without having that person in your address book, your carrier looked up their number in one of these databases.
Can I put anything on my caller ID?
The CNAM or your outgoing caller ID can be a maximum of 15 characters in length, and can only contain letters, numbers, periods, commas, and spaces. Any special characters such as "+" are not allowed. Additionally Private, Unavailable, or Unknown are not allowed.
Also, you need to have authorization to use the name you'd like to show up on your caller ID. Otherwise, anyone can pretend to be the US Government.
Are there any limitations I should be aware of?
Unfortunately, Toll-Free numbers can't be used for outgoing caller ID. Toll-Free numbers were originally designed to exclusively receive calls and not make calls. Given this, CNAM does not maintain listings for Toll-Free numbers.
Each carrier has its own policies regarding caller ID. So while we submit your information to caller ID databases, it is not possible for us to guarantee it will display correctly every time for everyone. If a carrier is hitting a database that’s not up to date, it can display wrong information, or if they don’t hit it at all, it won’t display.
Most Canadian carriers do not automatically update their CNAM database. This may cause your Caller ID to display incorrectly with some Canadian carriers. Keep in mind also CNAM names may not show at all depending on their carriers for Canadian numbers.
Don't worry, if you do not have a custom caller ID set up or a carrier doesn't look up caller ID information, your OpenPhone number will show up to people you call.