Definition
CNAM (caller ID name) is the short text name, up to 15 characters, displayed with an incoming call's number, which the recipient's carrier typically looks up in a CNAM database rather than receiving with the call.
In the traditional U.S. system, the calling network sends only the number. The recipient's carrier, if it offers name display, queries a CNAM database for the name registered to that number, so what a patient sees depends on which database their carrier uses and whether the calling organization's record there is current. The 15-character limit means names are often truncated or abbreviated.
CNAM has well-known limits for outreach. It is not authenticated, coverage across wireless carriers and handsets is inconsistent, and a name can be stale or missing. It can also be displaced by a carrier spam label or by the handset's own contact list. That is why CNAM registration is usually one layer of a display strategy that also includes branded caller ID through carrier programs and Rich Call Data, which can carry a verified name, logo, and call reason.
How Consig handles it
Consig handles caller ID, number reputation, and dialing patterns behind the scenes, and uses branded, verified caller ID with KYC behind the number so its customers' names show up on the patient's screen. Consig's Getting Through research treats name and brand display as one of five layers every call passes through.