Discern service provider based on phone number - Possible?

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dmcalerney
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Discern service provider based on phone number - Possible?

Post by dmcalerney »

Hi,

I'm messing around with sending text messages to cell phones using the PHP mail function. I can send a message to mine because I know my own carrier. My question now is, if someone were to provide their phone number to get text messages, is there any logical way to decode that telephone number and figure out who the carrier? Do certain companies use certain prefixes? I really don't want to ask people who their carrier is, seeing as how it doesn't pertain to the other stuff that I'm asking.

Also, what else, if anything, can we figure out about a phone number? (ex. Cell Phone vs. Land Line?)

Thanks,

Danny
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feyd
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Post by feyd »

It's not really feasible anymore since here, in the US, someone can carry their number from carrier to carrier without any changes.
dmcalerney
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Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 5:22 pm

Hmmmm...

Post by dmcalerney »

I didn't think of that. Shucks.

Thanks for the reply.

Sincerely,
Danny
bg
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Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2003 11:01 am

Re: Discern service provider based on phone number - Possibl

Post by bg »

dmcalerney wrote:Hi,

I'm messing around with sending text messages to cell phones using the PHP mail function. I can send a message to mine because I know my own carrier. My question now is, if someone were to provide their phone number to get text messages, is there any logical way to decode that telephone number and figure out who the carrier? Do certain companies use certain prefixes? I really don't want to ask people who their carrier is, seeing as how it doesn't pertain to the other stuff that I'm asking.

Also, what else, if anything, can we figure out about a phone number? (ex. Cell Phone vs. Land Line?)

Thanks,

Danny
It is possible, using the cURL library and querying a website that can give relevent information with a reverse phone lookup. Whitepages.com will list the service provider and whether or not its a land line, but I don't know how accurate and up-to-date that information is.
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