Vodafone Launches Number Verify 2.0 to Strengthen Mobile Authentication and Fight Online Fraud

Vodafone Launches Number Verify 2.0 to Strengthen Mobile Authentication and Fight Online Fraud

(IN BRIEF) Vodafone has launched Number Verify 2.0 in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom as the first phase of a planned global rollout. The API allows businesses to verify a user’s mobile number through the mobile network, without using SMS one-time passcodes. The solution confirms that a phone number is linked to the user’s SIM and device across app and web journeys, whether the user is on mobile data or Wi-Fi. After user consent, the phone number can be shared instantly with a service provider such as a bank, retailer or digital platform. Vodafone said Number Verify 2.0 addresses security weaknesses linked to SMS OTP, which can be exposed to phishing, social engineering and artificially inflated traffic. The API is built on the CAMARA international standard and is rolling out first on Android devices.

(PRESS RELEASE) BERKSHIRE, 13-Jul-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Vodafone has launched Number Verify 2.0 in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, marking the first phase of a planned global rollout of its next-generation phone number authentication API.

The solution is designed to give businesses a simpler and more secure way to verify a user’s mobile phone number without relying on SMS one-time passcodes. It uses the mobile network to confirm that a phone number is associated with the user’s SIM and device across both app and web journeys, whether the user is connected through mobile data or Wi-Fi.

Number Verify 2.0 is intended to make authentication more seamless for users. After the user gives consent, their phone number can be shared instantly with the service provider, such as a bank, retailer or digital platform.

Vodafone said the new API addresses a major weakness in digital identity: the widespread use of mobile numbers for registration, login, account recovery and transaction confirmation without a sufficiently secure method to verify them.

SMS one-time passcodes have long been used as the default verification method, but they only confirm that someone has entered a code sent to a mobile number. They do not prove that the legitimate subscriber is present or that the authentication process has not been compromised.

This creates risks for both businesses and consumers, including phishing, social engineering and artificially inflated traffic, where automated bots generate large volumes of OTP requests that increase costs and operational complexity.

Johanna Wood, Director of Network APIs at Vodafone, said SMS OTP was not designed for the current online fraud environment.

“SMS OTP has been the default for over a decade, but it was never built for the threat environment we operate in today,” said Wood. “Number Verify 2.0 changes that by giving developers a way to verify phone numbers that is faster, safer and seamless for the user.”

She added that launching the service simultaneously in three countries marks the beginning of Vodafone’s global rollout for enterprise customers.

Number Verify 2.0 offers several benefits for companies such as banks, retailers and social media platforms. By removing manual number entry, SMS waiting times and code typing from onboarding, login and account recovery flows, the API can help improve conversion rates.

The solution also strengthens security by eliminating human-readable OTPs that can be phished, intercepted or manipulated through social engineering. It can also help businesses reduce unnecessary SMS spending, failed OTP attempts and exposure to artificial traffic.

Number Verify 2.0 is now available and is rolling out first on Android devices.

The solution is built on the CAMARA international standard, supporting interoperability across operators and markets. This enables developers to integrate once and deploy globally as operator support expands.

Media Contact:

GroupMedia@vodafone.com

SOURCE: Vodafone