--- title: Check a phone number with HLR Lookup url: https://help.telecomsxchange.com/sellers/hlr-lookup/ audience: For Sellers summary: Go to HLR Lookup in the sidebar, enter the number in international format without + (for example 14155551234) and click Perform Lookup. Each lookup costs $0.05 from your seller balance and shows the country, carrier, MCC/MNC, ported status and roaming status. updated: '2026-10-21' verified_commit: 83b4ebc96d0081a25213776d5a8871bd04941125 --- # Check a phone number with HLR Lookup > Go to HLR Lookup in the sidebar, enter the number in international format without + (for example 14155551234) and click Perform Lookup. Each lookup costs $0.05 from your seller balance and shows the country, carrier, MCC/MNC, ported status and roaming status. ## How a seller checks a number 1. **CDR or SDR**: Click a destination number to prefill 2. **HLR Lookup** (via HLR Lookup Number): Charges $0.05 to your seller balance 3. **Mobile networks** (via lookup sent): Answer for the number right now 4. **Result** (via Raw API Response): Carrier, MCC/MNC, ported and roaming status An HLR lookup asks the mobile networks about a number right now: which carrier serves it, whether it has been ported, and whether the phone is roaming. As a seller, use it to investigate a buyer's complaint about a destination or to check numbers before you test a route. HLR Lookup is a platform tool, not a product you sell: it isn't a route type in [Market View](https://help.telecomsxchange.com/sellers/add-your-first-route/). ## Before you start You need at least **$0.05** in your seller balance; each lookup costs that much. Have the number in international format with the country code, digits only: `14155551234`, not `+1 (415) 555-1234`. ## How do I look up a number? 1. Click **HLR Lookup** in the sidebar. 2. Under **Perform Lookup**, enter the number in **Phone Number**. 3. Click **Perform Lookup**. ![Seller HLR Lookup with a completed result: the country, carrier name and network type, MCC/MNC code, ported and roaming status and the lookup cost](https://help.telecomsxchange.com/assets/screenshots/seller-hlr.jpg) The cost is shown next to the button, **Cost per lookup: $0.05**, and is taken from your balance as soon as the lookup is sent. !!! tip On the [CDR and SDR pages](https://help.telecomsxchange.com/sellers/reports-and-preferences/), click a destination number and choose **HLR Lookup Number <number>**. HLR Lookup opens with that number filled in; click **Perform Lookup**. ## What does the result show? **Lookup Results** has two parts: - **Country**: the flag and name of the number's country. - **Network Information**: - **Carrier Name**: the network that serves the number now, with its network type as a badge. - **MCC/MNC Code**: the carrier's mobile country and network code. **Copy MCC/MNC** copies it. - **Ported Status**: **Ported** when the number has moved from the network it was issued on, **Original Network** when it hasn't, otherwise **Unknown**. - **Roaming Status**: **Roaming** or **Home Network**, otherwise **Unknown**. - **Lookup Cost**: $0.05 USD. Open **Raw API Response** for the full answer as JSON, and **Copy JSON** to keep it. If every field says **Unknown** or **N/A**, the networks returned no data for that number; the reason is under `status_message`, and the lookup is still charged. ## Where do the charges show? Each lookup is a **$0.05** line in **Money → Payout History** with the note **HLR Lookup <number>**. The results aren't stored for you: copy the JSON if you need a record. ## Can I run lookups from my own system? Yes. Call `GET /sellers/hlr/lookup/{number}` on the API with HTTP Digest authentication: your portal login as the username and your **API Key** as the password, with **Allow API Access** turned on in **Profile & Preferences**. See [Use the API](https://help.telecomsxchange.com/sellers/api/) for the setup. The reply is `{"status": "success", "response": {...}}` with the same fields as **Raw API Response**. ## What if something goes wrong? | You see | What to do | |---|---| | Seller balance insufficient to run query | Your balance is below $0.05. It grows as buyers' traffic on your routes is billed. | | CLD missing, or wrong format (only digits are supported) | Enter the number with the country code and digits only: no `+`, spaces or dashes. | | Every field shows Unknown or N/A | The networks have no data for the number. Check `status_message` in **Raw API Response**; the lookup is still charged. | ## Frequently asked questions **Q: How much does a lookup cost?** A: $0.05 per number, taken from your seller balance. You need at least $0.05 in the balance. **Q: Can I sell HLR lookups?** A: No. HLR Lookup is a tool TelecomsXchange provides to buyers and sellers; it isn't a route type you can list in Market View. **Q: Am I charged when the lookup finds nothing?** A: Yes. A lookup is charged once it has been sent, even when the network returns no data. Check the number format before you run it. **Q: Where do the charges show?** A: In Payout History, as a $0.05 line with the note "HLR Lookup" and the number.