Call Control
We have extensive product creation experience in the telecommunications industry, demonstrated by our dedicated team of 10 professionals who have been working with Call Control. Our team successfully developed web, mobile, hardware, and enterprise-level solutions from scratch. This collaboration allowed us to create innovative, high-quality products that address the industry's challenges and deliver exceptional value to Call Control and its customers.
About client
Call Control is a leading USA-based software company specializing in advanced call-blocking technology that eliminates robocalls, phishing attempts, and unwanted telemarketing calls. Their innovative applications and tools empower users to take control of their phone experience, offering solutions for wireless, landline, and enterprise subscribers. Call Control's services use a crowdsourced blacklist of known nuisance numbers, allowing users to block unwanted calls with ease. Their robust, user-friendly products protect millions of users from intrusive calls. By continuously updating their database and staying ahead of emerging threats, Call Control ensures its users enjoy a safer, more secure communication environment, providing a seamless and enhanced phone experience for customers worldwide.
About project
The Call Control Project is a cornerstone of FlexMade's portfolio. Initially starting as a vendor, FlexMade quickly became a comprehensive partner, responsible for all aspects of product development, including software engineering, hardware development, DevOps, and customer support. Over the last 10+ years, FlexMade helped create an interconnected product ecosystem that provides robust robocall-blocking and spam-prevention services.
Objectives & Challenges
The client's goal was to develop both software and hardware solutions to block robocalls and telemarketing calls. In 2008, Call Control was searching for a distributed team with a strong track record in similar projects and a solid understanding of the challenges at hand. Conversations between Call Control's CEO and FlexMade revealed a shared appreciation for effective communication, strategic planning, and fostering an open-minded culture that promotes problem-solving over blame assignment. Call Control required exceptional technical expertise and resource elasticity for a project like this. Collaborating with a startup necessitated the ability to adapt resources to address cost and staffing concerns. Partnering with FlexMade allowed Call Control to downscale during slower maintenance periods and upscale for major product releases. Additionally, Call Control sought a team capable of out-of-the-box thinking, impressive engineering skills, and the ability to tackle challenges across various technologies, including web and mobile development, hardware engineering, firmware creation, machine learning, and more.
Approach & Methodology
FlexMade adopted a multi-faceted approach to deliver Call Control solutions. From initial website development to mobile and hardware solutions, FlexMade led the entire development lifecycle. By embracing agile methodologies, FlexMade ensured rapid iterations, adapting to Call Control's evolving needs. Moreover, the company maintained a flexible resource model that allowed the project to scale up or down based on product phases and market requirements. FlexMade took a creative approach, from software development to hardware production, including procurement, packaging, and FCC certification.
Spam Protection Powered by CommunityIQ
CommunityIQ is a crowdsourced database that utilizes machine learning to identify robocallers and telemarketers. It processes between 1,200,000 and 1,400,000 monthly reports for accurate call filtering.
Integrated Hardware Solution for Landlines
FlexMade developed a hardware device to protect landlines, which seamlessly integrates with a mobile app. This solution blocks unwanted calls based on user preferences and CommunityIQ data.
Mobile Apps for Android and iOS
We created mobile apps for Android and iOS platforms that sync with CommunityIQ and provide real-time spam detection and blocking capabilities.
Enterprise API for VOIP Providers
FlexMade developed an Enterprise API to integrate call-blocking functionality into VOIP systems, serving companies like Cisco, Avaya, Broadsoft, and Nextiva.
Job done
The solution
The project began with the creation of Everycaller.com, a website allowing users to obtain information about their callers and share their own experiences. Several years later, the site evolved into the core of CommunityIQ, a knowledge base designed to identify spammers. Leveraging machine learning, big data, and scoring algorithms, CommunityIQ quantified the activities of telemarketers and robocallers. Subsequently, FlexMade developed mobile apps for Android and iOS that verified every incoming call against the CommunityIQ database and blocked unwanted calls. We created a hardware product to protect landlines - a small box connected between a wall jack and a handset. This device filtered incoming calls based on user preferences and the CommunityIQ knowledge base and could be managed via a mobile app. The hardware solution creation required industrial design, firmware development, and full cycle of production management, such as components procurement, field testing, packaging, and FCC certification. Later, FlexMade developed solutions for VOIP providers such as Avaya, Nextiva, Cisco, BroadSoft, and many others, as well as an Enterprise API to provide incoming call screening functionality for PBX owners. These products have successfully operated and helped millions of users take control of their phones, ensuring a more pleasant and secure calling experience.
The result
FlexMade built a fully interconnected ecosystem of products—from mobile apps to hardware—that operated seamlessly on a large scale. Millions of users regained control over their phones, significantly reducing the number of nuisance calls they received. The CommunityIQ solution proved exceptionally effective at identifying and blocking robocalls.FlexMade's resource elasticity allowed Call Control to adapt to changing requirements, helping them reduce costs during maintenance periods and expand resources for major releases.
The Call Control project has proven to be an invaluable learning experience for FlexMade. Throughout the project, the company brought significant value and continuously conducted numerous experiments to improve the product. This endeavor has allowed FlexMade to refine its skills, gain deeper insights into the industry, and develop a broader understanding of best practices, which can be applied to future projects and collaborations.
The technologies
- PHP
- Laravel
- MySQL
- TensorFlow
- SnowFlake
- Kotlin
- Swift
- C++
Client's feedback
Call Control
I approached FlexMade over nine years ago seeking a partner to help develop software on a limited budget for a bootstrapped startup. Fast forward, and all of my expectations have been and continue to be exceeded. I have recommended FlexMade to several of my colleagues who are looking for outsourced development work, and they in turn have recommended others. I completely recommend Max and his team at FlexMade; you can count on honest business dealings, constant communication, skilled and talented software developers, and a culture of motivation and genuine interest in seeing your software project succeed. FlexMade is my #1 vendor of choice, and I'm grateful to Max and his team for everything we have done together over the years.
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