Which Operation Should You Use? GetPhoneInfo_V2, or GetPhoneInfoLastFirst?
Picking which operation you want to use should be decided carefully. Depending on your environment and needs, you will need to use different operations for their corresponding strengths. Typically, most users find that GetPhoneInfo_V2 is the most useful of the operations, as sometimes the exchange information is valuable to have in the case that the phone number was unlisted or wireless; you can still obtain the general area of where the phone number resides.
The best suggestion is to try out each of the operations to find the data you need.
Why are there operations that end with a V2?
When we need to enhance our service that includes the changing of either the input or output interfaces, its best to create a new operation. If we change the interface of an existing operation, we potentially adversely affect hundreds of current customers. If you are a new client or in a position to make a change, its usually always best to switch to the new operation as it likely has important new enhancements.
The Sample Code is Giving Strange Errors or is Crashing!
Most likely, the sample code cannot connect to Service Objects. Many environments will not allow you to connect out on port 80, or will clip out XML data from these requests/responses.
Then try to run one of the operations with your trial key. If you get a browser error, or get no data back, then the sample code isn’t able to connect, either. Contact your systems administrator to resolve why you are not able to connect to Service Objects.
GeoPhone doesn’t find any data for my phone number!
If your phone number is unlisted, by law, it cannot find any contact information for your number. Additionally, if your number is for a cellular phone, it cannot find that contact information either. If it does not return any information for the exchange, then you may have mistyped your phone number. A valid phone number will always return exchange information, whether it is wireless or landline, connected or disconnected.
GeoPhone is giving someone else’s information for my phone number!
GeoPhone’s data is updated constantly. In the case that you just changed your number, it probably just has not been updated since you made the change. Sometimes phone companies take their time in publishing updates.
If the information is not accurate, and the given phone number has not recently changed ownership, please let us know at support@serviceobjects.com.
Can GeoPhone give me the information for a disconnected number?
No, but another service is able to return this. DOTS Geophone Plus 2 is able to return information about phone numbers possibly being disconnected.
Can GeoPhone give me the information for a cell phone or wireless number?
No. DOTS Geophone is primarily focused on returning contact info for landline numbers. But our DOTS Geophone Plus 2 service can return contact information
I’m seeing multiple contacts at a single phone number. Who is really going to pick up the phone?
Honestly, any one of them! Typically, this means that multiple people at registered at that phone number, which happens with many small businesses. Oftentimes, when you call that number, you will get an operator or switch where you can ask for the person you’re looking for. If the phone number resolves to a residential address, all of the contacts may be roommates. If you need to verify that a particular person is at that phone number, simply search for that person in the list of contacts. They are not in any particular order when they are returned.
I see a flag called Quality being returned but its always set to high. What does this mean?
This flag was added because when the V2 operation was created, Service Objects was investigating alternative data sources that may not be as reliable. If a less reliable data source was used, we would want a way to note that. There are currently no plans to add new lower quality data sources.
I don’t care so much about who is at the phone number. I care more about whether the phone number is real or not. What should I do?
You have several options. You can either check for the presence of exchange data (valid phone numbers always return exchange information) or integrate Service Objects’ PhoneExchange web service, which was built expressly for this purpose. Find out more about PhoneExchange here: https://www.serviceobjects.com/products/phone/phone-exchange
I’m Not a Programmer. How Do I Use DOTS GeoPhone?

 

References

  1. Reverse Phone Lookup APIs – Differences Between GeoPhone & GeoPhone Plus
  2. Service Objects Improves Phone Data by 200%