TL;DR
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XConnect is adding fuzzy matching to its UK Mobile Phone Match service, so small differences in names or addresses are less likely to cause a genuine customer to fail an identity check.
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The service combines capabilities from EE, Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 with XConnect’s own data through one integration. It is expected to cover around 85% of UK mobile numbers, subject to final operator coverage.
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Banks, fintechs, lenders and gaming operators could use it to reduce repeat data entry, document checks and manual reviews while retaining control of the final identity decision.
XConnect, a provider of world-class numbering intelligence, mobile identity and fraud prevention services, is launching fuzzy matching for all UK Mobile Phone Match clients. The expanded service will help organisations verify customers more accurately, reduce unnecessary friction during onboarding and make better-informed identity decisions.
The enhanced offering will combine CAMARA KYC Match capabilities from EE, Vodafone and Virgin Media O2 with XConnect’s unique Mobile-to-Person Match (MPM) service and is expected to support approximately 85% of UK mobile numbers, subject to final operator coverage.
It builds on XConnect’s existing fuzzy matching capabilities in France, Canada and Germany. Organisations can access broader UK coverage and more flexible matching through a single integration without managing separate operator connections, response formats, or commercial agreements.
“Identity data rarely arrives in a perfectly identical format,” says Ben Norton, Director of Product – MNO APIs, XConnect. “A genuine customer can fail an exact match because of something as simple as an abbreviated address or a slightly different version of their name. Fuzzy matching assesses how closely the records correspond, giving clients a more realistic view of whether they belong to the same person while allowing them to retain control over the final decision.”
The rollout of fuzzy matching responds to requests from banks, lenders, fintechs, gaming operators and other digital businesses to improve genuine-customer match rates while reducing additional document checks, manual review or repeated data entry. It expands XConnect’s Network API portfolio to help digital businesses balance verification accuracy with smoother customer experience.
“This is a great example of where Network APIs become more valuable when they are combined, orchestrated and delivered around a clear customer outcome,” adds Norton. “The value is not simply access to an operator API. It is the ability to turn different operator capabilities into one consistent identity service that clients can use at scale.”
XConnect consolidates and maintains telephone number intelligence from hundreds of global datasets to support routing, validation and fraud prevention in real time. Fuzzy matching will be available to all UK MPM clients, with most operator migrations expected to be completed shortly. XConnect will manage operator routing, service variations and response normalisation to provide a consistent experience across the UK market.
