Number Recycling
Network as Code provides identity and security capabilities that allow your applications to prevent or proactively react to fraud by using resources that go beyond traditional 2FA authentication processes. The Number Recycling feature lets you check whether the mobile network subscriber behind a phone number has changed since a date you store in your application.
Mobile operators recycle phone numbers when a subscription ends and the same number is later assigned to a new customer. If your application sends SMS messages or relies on a stored phone number, you can use this check before acting on that number to reduce mis-delivery and protect user privacy.
Number Recycling vs. Number Verification
Number Verification confirms whether a phone number is currently linked to the user's device (or returns the device phone number from an authenticated session). Number Recycling answers a different question: has the subscriber contract for this phone number changed since a specified date you provide (for example, when the user signed up for your service)?
What does this feature do?
- Accepts a reference date (
specified_date/specifiedDate), and a phone number when using a two-legged access token. - Returns whether the subscriber associated with that phone number has changed after that date.
Terminology and acronyms
MSISDN: The phone number associated with a mobile subscription that you want to check.specifiedDate/specified_date: The calendar date stored by your application (for example, the date the user registered). The API reports whether the subscriber has changed after this date. If the operator cannot evaluate the date, the check returns400with codeOUT_OF_RANGErather than a boolean. That is distinct fromphoneNumberRecycled: truewhen there was no active contract on that date.- Number recycling: The reassignment of a phone number from one subscriber to another.
What's behind this technology?
The Number Recycling functionality follows CAMARA definitions, which is an open-source project within the Linux Foundation. Network as Code bridges the gap between your application and the Operator platform, making the connection seamless so you can retrieve number recycling data. After you register on the Network as Code Developer Portal and get consent and authorization for devices, you will be able to easily use and integrate this API into your applications.
Last updated September 18, 2026