Why a Phone Number Shows as Active but Is Actually Inactive

Reachable Number / Line Status: Why is a Phone Number showing up as ACTIVE but it is actually INACTIVE?

Our Reachable Number service offers a low-cost method for identifying a phone numbers status (active/disconnected) and is among the most accurate services available on the market today. The service has a 5% to 15% variance in reporting active versus inactive for the reasons stated in the graphic below. Most services are more in the 50%-60% accuracy range. This is because the majority of services rely on stale database data, where most of our information is carrier-direct and thousands of our numbers are randomly hand dialed and QC'd on a daily basis.

There is no service out there that is 100% accurate. Millions of numbers change hands every year in the United States and records updating can't keep up with it. This became even more prevalent with the proliferation of VOIP numbers; these days changing a phone number is almost as simple as changing a pair of socks.

Some active numbers may be reported as inactive, especially if they have been issued or reissued within the last 60 - 90 days. Phone number accuracy can vary depending upon how old the numbers are on your list, where they were derived, the line type (cellular, landline, VOIP), and regional or national carrier reporting.

Please read the information below for full explanation of "What Information Will Be Included In My Results?":

Reachable Line Status*: This service offers a low-cost method of identifying phone numbers as reachable or not (active/disconnected). The method is based on sophisticated algorithms and carrier data. The service works for US only. These statuses are returned:
     
      - ACTIVE - Number is reachable
      - INACTIVE - Disconnected number
      - INVALID - Phone number does not exist (e.g. invalid area code or not issued)
      - UNKNOWN - Status cannot determined

*Accuracy. Some active numbers may be reported as inactive, especially if they have been issued or reissued within the last 60 - 90 days. Phone number accuracy can vary due to how old the numbers in your list are, where they were derived, line type, and regional or national carrier reporting. It's not uncommon to see a 5% - 15% variance in reporting active as inactive or vice versa. Lists obtained via number generator or other means have greater degrees of variance.

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