Verizon is taking another swing at spam calls, and this time, it could finally catch up to its competitors when it comes to branded caller identification. The carrier announced today that it’s integrating CTIA’s Branded Calling ID (BCID) solution directly into its wireless network, three years after T-Mobile made a similar move. The system should reduce spam and scam calls by giving customers more context when the phone rings and helping businesses avoid the dreaded unknown caller problem.
Ensuring authenticity, with industry backing
Imagine being able to answer anyone who calls you
If you’re one of the 80% of Americans who ignore calls from numbers you don’t recognize, you’re exactly who Verizon and CTIA are targeting. BCID displays a caller’s verified brand name, logo, and even the reason for the call, right on your phone’s screen — all backed by cryptographically signed, end-to-end authenticated data. The goal is to reduce the flood of scam calls and make legitimate ones easier to spot.
“People ignore calls they don’t recognize. With tools like Branded Calling ID, we’re enhancing transparency and giving businesses another trusted way to reach their customers while giving our customers the information they need to answer calls with confidence,” said James Hammond, AVP of Product Development/Management at Verizon.
T-Mobile has offered a nearly identical Branded Caller ID experience since 2022, and AT&T launched its own solution in partnership with TransUnion last year. Verizon’s late entry doesn’t necessarily make BCID any less valuable, though. The difference here is that this is not an app you need to install; Verizon will enable it at the network level for all customers, making it a more seamless experience.
Why Branded Calling ID is important
BCID is built on the STIR/SHAKEN framework, which is the same backbone the industry uses to combat robocalls. But where STIR/SHAKEN focuses on verifying that a call is coming from where it says it is, BCID goes a step further, layering in branding and context. CTIA says all enterprise numbers, logos, and call reasons are vetted by authorized partners to prevent abuse and ensure that bad actors don’t sneak through.
For businesses, this is more than just a security feature. It’s a way to boost answer rates and improve customer engagement. Banks, schools, and doctors’ offices have long struggled to get people to pick up, and BCID could help close that gap.
“This marks an important milestone in protecting consumers and enhancing confidence in voice calls,” said Tom Sawanobori, CTO of CTIA. “By working together to enhance caller identification, the wireless industry can eliminate the guesswork around unknown numbers.”
Verizon didn’t specify when BCID will roll out to its customers, but today’s announcement makes it clear that the carrier is serious about cleaning up the calling experience. Given how much spam still clogs our phones, this could be a very welcome change.
