Insights

Toll-Free Caller ID Information Helps HHS Get Critical Phone Calls Answered

Mar 30, 2020

EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J., March 30, 2020 - Somos, Inc., a leading registry management and data solutions company, is pleased to support the distribution and use of Toll-Free Caller ID information via TFN Identity in the pursuit of slowing the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus. TFN Identity is the trusted, centralized source for Toll-Free Caller ID information hosted by Somos, Inc., the administrator of the SMS/800 TFN Registry and authoritative source of Toll-Free data. TFN Identity offers a powerful solution that allows Responsible Organizations (Resp Orgs) to provision and store Caller ID information which in turn allows the Caller Name to be displayed when a customer receives a call from an enterprise’s Toll-Free Number.

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently set-up a Toll-Free Number for outbound calls to provide patients with COVID-19 test results. With the volume of phone scams and hoaxes that prey on virus-related fears rising, consumers have been increasingly hesitant to answer calls from unknown numbers – including potentially lifesaving calls from HHS.

After it had been reported that calls from a specific Toll-Free Number were not being answered, multiple parties took swift action to help ensure the health and safety of our community. First, the Resp Org who manages the Toll-Free Number accessed TFN Identity and provided the Caller ID information to the system. Next, Somos, in partnership with our delivery partner Telo worked with First Orion to immediately ensure that any calls originating from this number will show the Caller ID information on screen. Thanks to the team’s effort, within merely a few hours, the Caller ID information was propagated to over 86 million end users. The Somos Team continues to work with Telo to expand that coverage across other telephone networks.

“To aid in bringing critical information to so many in need during this time, Somos is pleased to be working with HHS, other government agencies, Telo and First Orion to provide pandemic-related Toll-Free Numbers with trusted Caller ID information,” states Gina M. Perini, President and CEO at Somos. “We’re proud to be part of the collaborative effort to collect the necessary Toll-Free Number data safely and securely in TFN Identity, so that it can be used to connect people and communities with the critical information needed to fight this pandemic.”

To learn more about TFN Identity, visit www.somos.com/tfnidentity. Additionally, a recorded webinar, Caller ID for Toll-Free: Creating Brand Trust with TFN Identity, is available for viewing at https://www.somos.com/events.

About Somos, Inc.
Somos is a leading provider of trusted registry management and data solutions. Our mission is to empower more intimate and trusted interconnections between brands, consumers, and communities. A total customer focus is reflected in everything we do – working collaboratively to build market value and creatively resolve industry problems. Somos serves as the North American Numbering Plan Administrator and the Pooling Administrator for over 800 million local and wireless telephone numbers, and operates the SMS/800 TFN Registry for over 40 Million Toll-Free Numbers in North America. Other Somos solutions include the TSS Registry, the centralized registry for the use of Toll-Free Numbers in text messaging and multimedia services; and RouteLink, the alternative solution for accessing authoritative Toll-Free routing data. To learn more about Somos, please visit www.somos.com.

Media Contact:

Michelle Larsen

Vice President, Customer Engagement

844.HEY.LARSEN

844.439.5277