Removing "SPAM Likely" Tags from Outbound Calls

Summary

With the rise in scams and fraudulent calls to mobile phones, carriers and third-party services have implemented tools to identify and block suspicious call activity. A common result of these systems is that legitimate calls may be marked as "SPAM Likely" by mistake.

These spam filtering systems are independently managed by carriers (e.g., Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) and other third parties—not by CallTower. Therefore, CallTower cannot manually validate or attest phone numbers on behalf of customers.

However, there are steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of your outbound calls being flagged incorrectly. The actions below must be completed by your organization's MPOC (Main Point of Contact).

Recommended Steps to Prevent "SPAM" Flagging

Register Your Numbers with Major Carriers

Carriers provide online tools for businesses to verify and register their phone numbers. Registering helps ensure that your calls are recognized as legitimate.

General Resources

• Call Transparency

• Free Caller Registry

• Voice Spam Feedback

• Report a Robocall

Carrier-Specific Resources

• Verizon: Voice Spam Feedback

• T-Mobile: T-Mobile Call Reporting

• AT&T: AT&T Support via Hiya

Configure Caller ID (CNAM) Correctly

Setting a clear and accurate Caller ID (CNAM) for your outbound calls improves legitimacy and reduces the risk of being marked as spam.

What is CNAM?

CNAM (Caller Name) is the display name that appears on the recipient's phone when you make a call. It typically includes your business name or department. This information is not stored or broadcast by CallTower directly—rather, it's pulled from databases managed by receiving carriers and third-party providers.

Steps to Set up or Update CNAM

1. Determine the Numbers You Want to Update

   • Identify which DIDs (Direct Inward Dialing numbers) you want to associate with a business name or department label.

2. Contact CallTower Support

   • Send an email to support@calltower.com with the following information:        

     1. A list of DIDs requiring CNAM updates

     2. The exact CNAM you want displayed for each number (Max 15 characters)

3. Understand CNAM Formatting Requirements

   • Character Limit: Most carriers restrict CNAM to 15 characters, including spaces. Anything longer may be truncated.

   • Use easily recognizable identifiers (e.g., ACME SALES, ACME SUPPORT)

   • Avoid special characters and abbreviations that may confuse recipients

   • Ensure consistency across all numbers used for outbound calling

4. Recognize Carrier Limitations

   • Not all carriers support CNAM display in the same way.

   • Mobile carriers may override CNAM with their own spam scoring or caller ID apps (e.g., Hiya, Truecaller).

5. Allow Time for Propagation

   • After submitting your request, it may take several business days (up to weeks or even months for rural municipalities) for CNAM updates to propagate across various national databases used by carriers.