More and more companies are asking customers and job applicants to provide their phone number on web forms. This data is often not validated at the point of entry and it’s easy for people to enter a fake or disconnected number. Trying to reach out to these numbers can lead to a lot of wasted time and effort for both parties. In addition, calling a number that’s registered in the Do Not Call Registry can result in thousands of dollars in TCPA fines.

There are many ways to check if a mobile number is active. The easiest is to use a phone validation API. This will ping the carrier and detect whether the number is connected and can receive calls and texts. It will also identify the line type, such as landline or mobile/cellular. This will save you a lot of time and hassle and it will ensure that the person you’re trying to contact is actually available to receive your message.

Mobile Number Verification: How to Check If a Mobile Number Is Active

In some countries, different prefixes indicate if a number is a landline or cell phone but most of the time a number will be able to be called on both types of devices. Some people change phones from one carrier to another for better rates or better service and sometimes they have to give up their old numbers. This process is known as porting and it happens often. Some of these numbers may be disconnected or reassigned and a number validator will let you know.