Phone number lookup for carrier, line type and network status
Dexatel Lookup checks whether a number is correctly formatted, which operator serves it now, whether it's been ported, and what the network reports about it. Run one number in the dashboard, upload a CSV, or call the API from your own code.
Why choose Dexatel for phone number lookup?
Sending to a dead or mistyped number costs the same as sending to a real one. Lookup tells you which numbers in your list can actually receive a message, and which network each one is on now. People keep their number when they switch operators, so the number alone no longer tells you where to send it.
What you get with Dexatel Lookup
The phone number validation API returns format validity, current carrier, line type and live network status. One request, one response.
You get a number validation result showing whether a number's structure matches international numbering rules. Lookup strips spaces, symbols and leading zeros before it checks. Numbers that fail here are flagged and cost nothing, so a list full of typos doesn't turn into a bill. A well-formed number isn't proof the number exists — that's the next check.
You receive live status information from the Home Location Register, the subscriber database each mobile network keeps. An HLR lookup tells you whether the number is reachable, inactive, temporarily unreachable, or whether the network gave no answer. The result reflects what the network reported at the moment of the check — not whether the handset is switched on, and not a delivery guarantee.
You get the operator serving the number today, including numbers that have moved between operators. That's more useful to your routing than the number's original prefix, which stops being accurate the moment someone switches network. For a one-off check, the free carrier lookup tool answers a single number.
A number portability check comes back with every lookup, showing whether a number has moved from its original operator. It arrives in the same response as the carrier name — no separate request and no separate charge.
You get a line-type classification: mobile, landline or service. It adds context to a contact record and supports your channel rules and signup review. A line type is not evidence of fraud. The free phone validator checks one number at a time.
You get a record of each result and when the check took place, available in your dashboard. Useful for seeing what a number looked like last month when something about it has since changed.
What's inside Dexatel Lookup
Two checks. One API connection.
Check that a number is real and correctly formatted before you send to it. Lookup strips spaces, symbols and leading zeros, tests the structure against international numbering rules, then queries the network. Single query, bulk CSV upload, or REST API for automated pre-send checks.
Phone number lookup modes
Check an individual number in the dashboard, upload a CSV for a contact list, or connect the API to automate checks in your application.
Single lookup: check one number
Enter one number in the Dexatel Lookup dashboard and read its validity, carrier and line type on screen. It suits a support agent checking a record mid-conversation. For a free individual check, try the phone validator without creating an account.
Bulk phone number lookup
Upload a CSV for bulk phone number validation and download a report with a result for each row, up to 100,000 numbers per file. Bulk jobs run in the background rather than returning straight away. Duplicate rows and badly formatted numbers aren't charged.
API lookup: automate checks in your application
Connect Dexatel's phone number lookup API to check numbers at registration, before a campaign send, or during a scheduled database review. Your application calls the lookup endpoint and processes the response. Nothing to poll, no webhook to configure.
Dexatel Lookup pricing
Pay per successful lookup, at a rate that falls as your monthly volume grows. No setup fee, no subscription.
Monthly lookups | Price per lookup |
|---|---|
Up to 500K | $0.006 |
500K - 1M | $0.0054 |
1M - 2M | $0.0047 |
2M - 5M | $0.004 |
5M+ | Talk to sales |
How businesses use Dexatel Lookup
Businesses use Dexatel Lookup to check contact records before sending messages, processing registrations or following up with leads. Marketing, engineering, support, sales and operations teams apply the results to improve data quality and spot numbers that need a second look.
Marketing teams run bulk phone number validation on a list before a campaign or a CRM import, then work from the report: correct the formatting errors, drop the numbers that were never valid, and hold the ones that came back unreachable for the next send. Lookup returns a report rather than a cleaned file — the team decides what happens to each record. Worth repeating periodically, since customer details change on their own.
Get started with Dexatel Lookup in four steps
Open Dexatel's free phone validator, enter a number and run the check. Review what comes back to see the kind of information Lookup returns before you commit to anything. No account, no card required.
Create your Dexatel account and open the Lookup dashboard. For manual checks and CSV uploads, there's nothing else to set up. For an application integration, get your API key. Lookup pricing shows what paid checks cost.
Choose Single for one number, Bulk to upload a CSV, or API to run checks from your application using the lookup reference. Numbers go in as digits with the country code, no spaces or symbols.
Connect the API to a signup form, add a check before a Dexatel Engage campaign, or schedule your application to review existing records. Set your own rules for each result — the scheduling and the logic live in your application.
Integrate Lookup into any workflow
REST API, API-key authentication, JSON responses.
Send a number, get the complete result back in the response. Validation, carrier, line type and ported status all arrive together — no second request, nothing to poll, no webhook to configure. Lookup uses the same API key as your other Dexatel services.
Don't take our word for it
Dexatel Lookup supports businesses in different industries
Operators check number validity and line type during player registration, before a new account progresses. Results that fall outside their signup rules can trigger additional verification. These checks sit alongside other account and activity signals in wider controls for multiple accounts and bonus abuse — Lookup returns data, not a fraud verdict, and it is never a substitute for age checks, identity verification or licensing requirements.
Don't see your industry here? Talk to our experts about how Dexatel Lookup fits your contact-data and messaging workflows.
How Dexatel Lookup handles your data
Every check runs against live network data, under the same security certification and data-processing terms as the rest of the platform.
ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified
Dexatel holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, independently audited and verifiable through the IAF CertSearch register. It covers the information security management practices behind the platform your lookups run on.
Encryption and controlled data access
The numbers you submit are encrypted in transit and at rest. Role-based permissions decide who on your team can run lookups, see results and export data.
GDPR compliance and EU data hosting
Dexatel is GDPR compliant, and data for European customers is stored and processed in the EU. A data processing agreement is available before you sign. Using Lookup supports your own compliance work — it doesn't replace it.
Recognised numbering standards
Number structure is checked against ITU-T E.164, the international numbering standard. Network status comes from the Home Location Register, the subscriber database each mobile network maintains.
Charged only for completed lookups
A check that never ran isn't billed — invalid formats, duplicate rows in a bulk file, and failures on Dexatel's side all cost nothing. A completed check is billable even when the number comes back inactive.
Usage-based pricing
Lookup is priced per successful lookup, from $0.006 and falling as your monthly volume grows. The same rate applies to every destination. No setup fee, no subscription, no per-country pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between phone number validation, lookup and verification?
Validation checks that a number's structure matches international numbering rules. Lookup queries the network and returns the current carrier, line type, ported status and network status. Verification confirms that a person can access the number, usually with a one-time password. Dexatel Lookup does validation and lookup. Dexatel Verify does verification, and the two are billed separately — a verification request doesn't run a lookup first.
What information does Dexatel Lookup return?
Dexatel Lookup returns format validity, network status, the current carrier, a line type of mobile, landline or service, a ported flag showing whether the number has moved operator, and the ISO country code and country name. Everything arrives in one response.
Can Dexatel Lookup tell me whether a number is active or reachable?
Dexatel Lookup returns the status the network reports at the moment of the check. A valid result means the number is live on a network. It doesn't mean the handset is switched on, and it isn't a guarantee that a message will be delivered.
Which countries does Dexatel Lookup support?
Dexatel Lookup is priced the same for every destination worldwide, whatever your volume. What comes back can vary by country, since network data availability differs between operators — a check may return full details in one market and a partial result in another. Talk to our experts about the specific markets you need.
How are results returned, and how fast?
Single lookups run in real time and return the complete result in the response. Bulk jobs run in the background, so a large file takes time rather than returning straight away.
Can I check numbers in bulk, and what are the file limits?
Yes. Upload a CSV of up to 100,000 numbers per file and download a report with a result for every row. Duplicate rows and badly formatted numbers aren't charged.
How do I integrate the API?
Dexatel Lookup is a REST API using API-key authentication, with the key sent in the X-Dexatel-Key header and results returned as JSON. Numbers go in as digits beginning with the country code, with no spaces or symbols. The complete result comes back in the response, so there's no webhook to configure and nothing to poll.
Can I test Dexatel Lookup for free before integrating?
Dexatel's free phone validator and carrier lookup check individual numbers with no account. A trial account adds 20 lookups, shared across single and bulk checks, with no credit card required. There's no sandbox — trial checks run against the live API and return real data.
How much does a lookup cost, and are failed checks charged?
Dexatel Lookup starts at $0.006 per successful lookup and the rate falls as your monthly volume grows, with the same rate for every destination and no setup fee or subscription. A completed check is billable even when the number comes back inactive. Checks that never ran — invalid format, duplicate rows, a number the network can’t answer for, or a failure on Dexatel’s side — aren’t charged.
How does Dexatel protect uploaded numbers?
Dexatel encrypts lookup data in transit and at rest, stores and processes European customers' data in the EU, and is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified and GDPR compliant. Processing terms are set out in the data processing agreement, available before you sign.
