How a Phone Waterfall Works
A phone waterfall processes each data source sequentially, stopping when a verified number is found. The sequence is ordered by cost: free cached data first, then low-cost providers, then premium sources. For Australian contacts, the waterfall also validates that returned numbers are genuine +61 direct dials, rejecting toll-free numbers and wrong-country results.
- BYOK provider — agency's own enrichment key tried first at zero platform cost
- Company cache — previously found company numbers returned instantly for free
- Contact cache — previously enriched direct dials from the cross-tenant data network
- Premium providers — commercial APIs queried for fresh direct-dial matches
- Public directories — AU business directories and Google Places for company numbers
- Validation — numbers verified as active, correctly formatted, and within target country
Direct Dials vs Company Lines
A direct dial is associated with an individual; a company line may reach reception or a switchboard. Check the number and available context before calling. Costs and coverage vary.
Phone Waterfall for Australian Agencies
- +61 coverage — most US-built tools have poor AU mobile number coverage
- Toll-free rejection — filter out 1800 and 1300 numbers automatically
- Cost transparency — understand per-match cost for direct dials vs company lines
- Data network effects — pooled anonymised data builds better coverage over time
Kolvera's phone waterfall is built for Australia, with phone validation and clear result types. Direct dials cost a flat 2 credits, company lines already on file are free.