T-Mobile US (NYSE:TMUS) is deploying a name ID service powered by Whitepages that will provide customers with the name of callers and texters even if they are not in the user's existing contact list. The service initially will be available to Sony Xperia Z3 phone users; that device is available beginning today. The service also will be available on new T-Mobile Android devices in the future.
The service will be available to customers for free for the first 10 days. After that, if users want to continue to have the service, T-Mobile will charge a monthly fee of $3.99.
Bill Brooks, director of mobile business development at Whitepages, said that T-Mobile is the first operator to use its service, but the company is hoping to secure more deals with other operators and device makers too.
The Whitepages service not only identifies the name of the person, business or spammer associated with an incoming call or text, it also allows users to search for more information on millions of contacts. In addition, it has a one-click option that lets customers block or unblock calls and texts.
Whitepages isn't the first vendor that T-Mobile has worked with on caller ID. In 2011 the carrier launched a similar caller ID service from Cequint, which was acquired by TNS. Cequint's Name ID service also displayed caller information on the incoming call screen.
For more:
- see this release
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