In the age of relentless spam, robot calls, and sophisticated impersonation scams, a simple phone call has become a source of anxiety. According to industry research, nearly 60% of people admit to missing important calls from banks, hospitals, or delivery firms simply because they don’t recognise or trust an unknown mobile number. This lack of trust means that over 70% of anonymous calls now go unanswered.
For businesses and consumers alike, this represents a major problem: critical communications are being lost, customer service efficiency is plummeting, and the voice channel—once the most direct way to connect—is rapidly breaking down.
Vodafone’s new Networks API: Branded Calling feature is designed to fix this. By leveraging its core network intelligence, Vodafone is adding a vital layer of real-time security and identity verification to every call, effectively restoring trust in the ringing phone.
How Branded Calling Works and Why It’s a Business Game-Changer
Vodafone’s Branded Calling is an expansion of their anti-fraud Network API portfolio. It’s a seamless, behind-the-scenes solution built on the latest global, open-source CAMARA standards that benefits everyone involved.
1. Verification and Trust
When a business using the service makes a call, Vodafone’s network instantly verifies their identity by matching their credentials against the network data. Only once verified is the call authorised. This process significantly reduces the risk of fraud and number impersonation, guaranteeing to the recipient that the call is genuinely from the organisation whose name is displayed.
2. Enhanced Caller Display
The feature goes beyond simply displaying a phone number. It enriches the call display on the recipient’s mobile screen by adding the organisation’s preferred name. Vodafone is also evaluating the inclusion of the company logo and a brief explanation for the call—for example, “Calling about your recent card transaction” or “Pharmacy: Prescription ready for collection.”
The Benefit for Businesses: Efficiency and ROI
| Why Businesses Should Care | Evaluation: A Clear Benefit |
| Increased Answer Rates | By displaying a trusted, familiar brand name, businesses can expect a substantial rise in call answer rates, leading to more efficient customer service and sales outreach. |
| Brand Protection | By authenticating calls at the network level, Branded Calling stops scammers from spoofing your business number, protecting your brand reputation and minimizing fraud risk. |
| Operational Efficiency | Less time is spent chasing customers who ignored a call, and critical alerts (like payment failures or urgent delivery updates) are delivered successfully on the first attempt. |
| Global Standards Compliance | Built on CAMARA standards, the service is future-proofed and designed for global compatibility, ensuring smooth integration with modern mobile networks while meeting privacy requirements. |
The Benefit for Consumers: Confidence and Safety
| Why Consumers Should Care | Evaluation: Essential Peace of Mind |
| End of Guesswork | You no longer have to wonder if the call from the unknown number is your doctor, your bank, or a scammer. You receive instant, verified caller information. |
| Reduced Fraud Risk | The network-level verification means you can trust the name displayed, offering a powerful defense against the increasingly sophisticated AI-powered impersonation scams that plague the UK. |
| Don’t Miss Important Calls | Whether it’s a time-sensitive alert about a flight, a critical financial update, or a delivery window, Branded Calling ensures you can confidently answer important calls without fear. |
The UK Competitive Landscape
While Vodafone is expanding its own Networks API portfolio, the move towards verified calling is becoming the industry standard.
It is worth noting that similar services based on a 3rd party software provided by a company called Hiya are being used by O2 (Virgin Media O2) and EE (BT) since 2024. This adoption of verified calling technology across major UK networks solidifies the trend: the era of the anonymous, untrustworthy phone call is rapidly drawing to a close. For businesses, adopting a Branded Calling solution is fast becoming a necessity, not a luxury.
Fusion Telecoms can supply Vodafone SIM only business tariffs, allowing your organisation to take full advantage of cutting-edge network solutions like Branded Calling. Get in touch with us to discuss how to future-proof your business communications today.
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