Mobile network KYC API

What it checks

Mobile network KYC, also called MNO KYC, compares the identity details you were given with the information a mobile network holds for the subscriber behind a number.

Send a mobile number in international format plus the identity details you want to check. Each field is compared separately and comes back with its own result, so you can see what matched, what was close and what could not be checked. Use the results as evidence in your own onboarding, review or account-change process.

Live checks need KYC access on your Provero account. Sign in and request it from the Playground.

Why compare against mobile-network data

It gives you a different kind of source to compare against.

Many identity checks draw on commercial datasets that are bought, combined and shared between providers. When two of those checks agree, they may be reading versions of the same underlying data.

Mobile-network subscriber data is held by the network for its own customer relationship, so a match against it is a different piece of evidence. It is still one source among several, and a match is not proof of who is using the number.

Fields you can send

Every request needs mobile_number plus at least one qualifying field. Other supported fields can be sent alongside a qualifying field.

• Name (qualifying)

  full_name, first_name or last_name.

• Date of birth (qualifying)

  date_of_birth in YYYY-MM-DD format.

• Address (qualifying)

  A full address, or components: street_number, street_name, postcode, town_city and region.

• Country (qualifying)

  The claimed country of residence as a two-letter code, for example GB. It is a field to check, not a routing setting.

• Supporting fields

  middle_name, last_name_at_birth, additional_address_information, email, gender and identity_document_number. None of these meets the minimum request on its own.

Field availability varies by country, mobile network and the subscriber information available. A field the API accepts cannot always be verified for every subscriber.

A result for every field

Each field you submit is returned under results with one of four outcomes. There is no overall identity pass, fail or score, and status: success means the request completed, not that the details matched.

Results can be mixed. In the example below, the full name matches, the last name is a strong partial match and the date of birth could not be verified.

Similarity for supported fields

Use result as the field outcome. Treat the similarity score as supporting evidence for a partial match.

Name fields, the full address, street number, street name, town or city, region, middle name and last name at birth can return similarity_score and similarity when the value is not an exact match and a score is available. Date of birth, postcode, email, country, additional address information, gender and identity document number return a result only.

• 85 to 99: partial_match, strong
• 80 to 84: partial_match, moderate
• 75 to 79: partial_match, possible
• 1 to 74: no_match, low
• 0: no_match, none

Coverage

United Kingdom

Available now

Field-level checks against UK mobile-network subscriber data.

Spain

Available now

The same field-level checks for Spanish mobile subscribers.

Other European countries

On request

For other markets, email support@provero.io before you plan around them.

Where it fits

• Customer onboarding

  Compare the details a customer gives you with network data before or alongside your wider KYC and IDV checks.

• Account changes and recovery

  Add another source of evidence before a profile change, account recovery or other higher-risk action.

• Reviewing existing records

  Check customer records you already hold in bulk, without building an integration first.

• Data provenance

  See whether identity details you have bought or collected agree with a source outside the usual commercial identity datasets.

When no field result comes back

Two outcomes apply to the whole request and return no field results. Keep them separate from unable_to_verify, which applies to one field.

Subscriber data is not available for every number. Coverage focuses mainly on contract subscribers, although some PAYG subscribers also return results. If you need a route for numbers that cannot be checked, ask Provero what can be arranged for your account.

API and bulk upload

Run Mobile network KYC through the API at the point details are captured, or through the bulk uploader for records you already hold.

Mobile network KYC API example

POST https://api.provero.io/api/validate/kyc

{
  "mobile_number": "+447700900123",
  "full_name": "John Doe",
  "last_name": "Doe",
  "date_of_birth": "1985-06-15"
}

{
  "status": "success",
  "verification_id": "kyc_123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
  "mobile_number": "+447700900123",
  "mobile_network_code": "23410",
  "results": {
    "full_name": {
      "result": "match"
    },
    "last_name": {
      "result": "partial_match",
      "similarity_score": 91,
      "similarity": "strong"
    },
    "date_of_birth": {
      "result": "unable_to_verify"
    }
  }
}

Illustrative example from the API documentation. +447700900123 is a number reserved for documentation, and the names, dates and results are not a real verification.

Mobile network KYC pricing

Pricing depends on volume and country / network coverage.

Mobile network KYC is quoted per account so the rate reflects the countries, networks and volumes you actually need. Everything else runs on the same prepaid Provero balance.

See published pricing.

Need volume pricing? Email pricing@provero.io.

Related checks

Other checks you can run on the same number. Each answers a different question about it.

• Age verification Check a minimum age threshold using mobile-network subscriber data.
• HLR phone verification Find dead mobile numbers by API or in bulk, with network status, serving carrier and porting information.
• SIM swap check Check whether a mobile number's SIM changed within a chosen period.
• Name & phone match Coming soon Check whether a supplied name matches the phone number.