What is a Tier 1 Carrier (& Why Does it Matter for Sales Calls)

Summary:

• Using a Tier 1 carrier for sales calls ensures superior call quality, reduced spam flag risk, and efficient routing, which can improve the likelihood of successful interactions.
• Sales teams benefit from clearer calls with fewer disruptions, which boosts professionalism. The legitimacy of Tier 1 carriers also makes calls placed across these networks less likely to be flagged as “spam likely”.
• Although the cost is higher, the benefits of using a Tier 1 carrier, such as higher reliability and capacity significantly outweigh the costs.
• Leveraging a Tier 1 network gives organizations a strategic edge in sales outreach, maximizing both the quantity and quality of connections with prospects.

Are You Missing Out on Better Calls & Live Answer Rates?

Most companies that buy software to power their phone outreach overlook a critical question when choosing their provider:

“What kind of carrier is being used to facilitate my calls?”

The reality is, there are different tiers of phone carriers that software providers look to partner with, and this choice can significantly impact your:

• Number Reputation
• Call Deliverability
• Call Quality

As part of our industry-leading focus on call answer rates, PhoneBurner is proud to use a Tier 1 network. As the first dialing platform to do so, our clients often ask what our investment in premium telecom means for them.

In this article, we’ll elaborate on carrier differences, costs, and benefits so that you have a higher degree of confidence that the calls you place result in a successful and positive interaction.

Let’s peel back the curtain for a quick, but important look into the backbone of your communication infrastructure.

What is a Tier 1 Carrier?

In outbound telecommunications, the term “Tier 1 carrier” or “Tier 1 network” holds significant weight. But what exactly does it mean?

Tier 1 carriers are the top-level carrier networks in the telecommunications industry. They have extensive global infrastructures and maintain direct connections (i.e. trusted relationships) with the major wireless carriers through which most of today’s calls are routed.

Partnering with a Tier 1 carrier isn’t easy. To preserve the integrity of the traffic on their network, these carriers do extensive due diligence on the software providers that they work with.

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How are Other Carriers Classified?

Only a few carriers are designated as Tier 1. The rest are largely known as Interconnect or Interexchange carriers.

Calls originating from these other carriers are typically routed through multiple networks before being delivered to the call recipient’s phone.

This is an important distinction as the reputation of interconnect carriers (and there are a lot of them) can vary widely. 

As explained in this video, this can contribute to spam labeling, especially when using a phone number without a strong reputation or established call history.

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Advantages of Using a Tier 1 Carrier

Having calls routed through a Tier 1 network offers some significant advantages. Here is a look at some of the most impactful:

Call Quality

Tier 1 carriers make massive investments into their network infrastructure to ensure clarity and high-performance. With a Tier 1 carrier, sales representatives enjoy:

• Superior call quality
• Reduced latency
• Protection from distortion and dropped calls

This enhances professionalism and improves call experiences and outcomes.

Reduced Spam Flag Risk

Sales teams today are rightly concerned about their calls being mislabeled as spam. While no network can guarantee immunity, originating your calls on a Tier 1 carrier meaningfully reduces that risk.

Tier 1 carriers have long-established reputations for legitimacy and tight traffic controls. As a result, calls that originate on these networks start with a stronger baseline trust score. That higher trust feeds directly into reputational analytics and signaling, making it more likely the call is delivered cleanly and less likely to be flagged as spam.

By contrast, calls that originate off Tier 1 often travel a longer, more complex call path with fewer safeguards. These routes see a disproportionate share of fraud, spoofing, and other abuse, which causes analytics engines to apply much heavier scrutiny, leading to a higher risk of flags.

Capacity & Scalability

Tier 1 carriers possess significant capacity and scalability to handle large volumes of voice and data traffic. Their robust infrastructure can accommodate sudden spikes in demand without compromising performance, ensuring smooth call delivery even during peak periods.

Efficient & Preferential Routing

Calls originating from a Tier 1 carrier are routed directly to the receiving network, avoiding more complicated pathways that result with Tier 2 and Interconnect carriers. More prioritized traffic means more efficient routing, which improves:

• Speed
• Reliability
• Deliverability

“Hello” to Higher Answer Rates

The net result of the benefits above is that calls placed on a Tier 1 network are simply more likely to be answered. In fact, PhoneBurner has seen anywhere from a 10% to 30% increase in answer rates when routing calls over a Tier 1 carrier.

What’s more, superior call quality and performance mean that answered calls are more likely to result in a quality conversation and a positive outcome.

Learn More: 8 Tactics to Improve Your Live Answer Rates

Disadvantages of Tier 1?

It’s hard to call it a downside, but Tier 1 networks command a premium due to their superior infrastructure and reputation. In other words, it costs more to route calls through a Tier 1 carrier than any of the dozens or hundreds of Interconnect carriers on the market.

Given the value of a call placed vs. a call answered, the benefits of a Tier 1 network far outweigh the added cost. Our customers experience this difference daily.

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Comparison: Tier 1 vs Interconnect Carriers

Conclusion: The Strategic Advantage of Using a Tier 1 Network for Sales Calls

Successful outreach hinges not just on how many prospects you call, but how many quality conversations that result. The network that you (or rather your dialer) place calls through plays a bigger role than most teams realize.

Using a Tier 1 carrier gives your organization a real, strategic edge. Tier 1 networks deliver exceptional reliability and call quality. More importantly, they carry a level of baseline trust that meaningfully reduces the chances of your calls being mischaracterized as spam, helping more of your calls reach your prospects as intended.

What’s often overlooked is how rare this advantage truly is. Very few dialing platforms have direct access to a Tier 1 carrier. Most rely on lower-tier or wholesale routes, where calls face more scrutiny, more risk of mislabeling, and more inconsistent performance. Starting with a Tier 1 network means starting from a position of higher trust on every call—something most dialers simply can’t offer.

As part of our commitment to lead the industry in answer rates, PhoneBurner partners directly with a Tier 1 carrier to give our customers a cleaner path, stronger trust signals, and ultimately, more quality connections.

Ready to experience what premium telecom can mean for you?
Get a demo or start a free trial today.