[Asterisk-Users] CNAM lookup: new method for Caller ID Name delivery

[Nathan Goodwin]

John Todd wrote:

> [cross-posted to -biz and -users since it could fall into either 
> category]
>
> Interesting new product that has been introduced that I think some 
> would be interested in here (at least, those users in the United 
> States and perhaps Canada): CNAM delivery via IP lookup.
>
> The problem: inbound calls on many PRI connections, and also over many 
> VoIP providers, do not include caller name.  This means that all you 
> see is the caller ID number, but no name.  Most PSTN lines these days 
> (if they are enabled with Caller ID) will also include a caller ID 
> name.  So, you'd think that a well-configured Asterisk server should 
> somehow be able to deliver the same data, right?
>
> A company called Accudata has come up with an IP-based CNAM lookup 
> tool.  It's an HTTPS delivery method, with what I assume is XML as the 
> specification language.  The nice part is that it really doesn't 
> matter what the backend looks like - Accudata has built app_getcnam 
> that automatically takes the 10 digit NANP number and spits back a 15 
> character caller name from within the Asterisk dialplan.  You get the 
> caller ID from an inbound call (IP or PRI or any channel type as long 
> as it has an e.164 number associated with it) and then hand off the 
> ${CALLERIDNUM} to this application, and get back a string with the 
> name.  I don't have exact details on the system (see "disadvantages" 
> below) but it seems to be an interesting product.
>
> Pricing:
>   At the "low volume" end of the scale (probably under 2000 queries 
> per month, but I didn't ask), the price is $0.0156 per lookup, which 
> is reasonable enough.  I'm sure better price breaks come with volume.
>
> Upsides:
>   1) They have direct Asterisk integration, using app_getcname.c as a 
> data method.
>   2) They at least are willing to talk to smaller customers who aren't 
> pushing millions of calls a month.
>   3) It's all IP - no unwarranted complexity of SS7 or other signalling.
>
> Downsides:
>   1) They want you to sign an NDA before they'll discuss the methods 
> with you.  I was not willing to sign an NDA to have an XML schema 
> example transmitted to me, so that was a non-starter.  This really 
> angers me, actually - does anyone actually have a clue how many 
> lawyers need to get involved in an NDA, and what is it exactly that 
> the NDA is trying to do?  NDAs are used in the USA for the most 
> frivolous and inane reasons.  As if your competition didn't know what 
> you were doing?  Please, let's be realistic here.
>   2) They have a $100 monthly minimum charge.  If you only have a 
> billing volume of under $100, then you'll pay $100.  So, if you have 
> under 6400 queries per month, you're paying for the honor of being 
> billed.  This isn't that big a deal if you're an ITSP, but makes this 
> almost impossible for a smaller user to afford. (good opportunity for 
> a small reseller, especially if you are smart with caching.)  I can't 
> say I disagree with them on this model to start, but I spent some time 
> doing the math for "small-time" usage, and at a $2 minimum and 50 
> included queries a month (and $.02 afterwards) this would make a very 
> nice market for a few thousand iPBX systems.  Payment via Credit Card 
> or Paypal would be perfect; set it up once, forget about it. However, 
> that's not the model they chose, since they're not shooting for the 
> lower end of the market.
>   3) There may be hidden problems with the application; I haven't run 
> it, so I can't vouch for it.
>
> Other notes:
>   The clever integrator of this application will save themselves some 
> lookup $ by caching the responses from the database into their own 
> database, along with a datestamp.  Perhaps if an entry is >90 days 
> old, the system will re-lookup the entry in the Accudata database but 
> otherwise will present the memorized answer.  (Hint: the caller ID's 
> of your inbound call pool is probably >80% redundant)
>
>
> Contact information:
>   http://www.accudatatech.com
>   "Tracy Glick" <tracyg at accudatatech.com>  [sales contact]
>   "Kevin Nguyen" <kevinn at accudatatech.com> [tech contact]
>
>   If anyone else has heard of an easy-to-use method for obtaining this 
> data via free or commercial methods, please follow-up to this post for 
> the archives.  I don't speak for Accudata, nor am I a user of their 
> services, but it seems interesting so I'll pass it along to the group.
>
> JT
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If it isn't agiast there agement, I would happy setup a "resale" server 
for this just as you said, and probly at the prces you listed, I will 
look into this  abit more later today.

Only thing I use my asterisk server for, for the most part is a few 
select hpones (very low usages), but my exist customers (who have a 
higher volune), or people just wanting todo CNAM look ups could befit 
from this.