Caller ID (CNAM): How Your Name Shows on Outgoing Calls

When you make a call, the person you're calling sees your phone number on their screen — and sometimes a name along with it. That name is called the CNAM (Caller ID Name). Here's how it works on Parrot Mobile and what to do if it shows up wrong.

How Caller ID Name Actually Works

This part surprises a lot of people:

• The number is sent with every call you make.

• The name that shows up is not sent by Parrot Mobile. Instead, the recipient's carrier looks your number up in a shared CNAM database and shows whatever name it finds.

• Different carriers use different CNAM databases, so the same call can show your name on one phone and just the number on another.

• On iPhones, the contact's saved name in the recipient's address book always wins over CNAM.

This is why you might see "John Smith" on one friend's phone, "Wireless Caller" on another, and just the bare number on a third.

Updating Your CNAM

You don't set CNAM in your phone — it's set with the carrier database, and changes can take 1–4 weeks to propagate to all carriers.

To request a CNAM update for your line, email support@parrotmobile.com with:

• The Parrot Mobile phone number

• The exact display name you'd like (15 characters max, letters, numbers, and spaces only)

We'll submit the update to our upstream carrier. Allow several weeks for it to roll out across the major carriers.

Common Caller ID Issues

My number shows up as "Spam Risk" or "Scam Likely"

Some networks (especially T-Mobile and AT&T) tag numbers based on calling patterns and customer reports. If your number was previously used by someone who placed a lot of unwanted calls, the spam tag can carry over. To dispute or remove a spam label:

• T-Mobile / Sprint: https://www.tmocallreporting.com

• AT&T (Hiya): https://hiyahelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

• Verizon: https://voicespamfeedback.com

These services are run by the major carriers, not Parrot Mobile, so the request must come from you and they make the final call.

My calls show as "No Caller ID" or "Unknown"

Check your phone's setting for hiding caller ID:

• iPhone: Settings > Apps > Phone > Show My Caller ID — make sure it's on.

• Android: Phone app > Settings > Calls > Additional settings > Caller ID — set to Show number or Network default.

If those are correct and your number still hides, email support and we'll check the line.

The recipient sees the wrong name

That's a CNAM database issue — request a CNAM update using the steps above. As a fast workaround, ask the recipient to save your number to their contacts so their phone overrides whatever CNAM says.