It is difficult to find one central database of cell phone numbers because the providers operate independently of each other. There is NO government sponsored cell phone number directory. In the end we are left to rely on private reverse phone lookup services to collect this information.

Be very wary of any free reverse phone number search that claims they offer cell phone information. There are plenty of free phone number searches that offer information on landline and home phone numbers, however. You can use a phone number name lookup like the Whitepages, Anywho, or 411. This is a very helpful strategy in identifying businesses and telemarketers.

A lot of the reverse cell phone number searches draw information from the providers only when they give information to them. Many only have information from one or two different providers, while claiming to draw information from all of them,

Luckily, there are a few free options for you that are quick and easy.

One of the first things you can do is Google the phone number. This is particularly effective in finding telemarketers, but can also be effective for companies that list their phone number online. In very rare instances, will you ever find a cell phone number however. I have used Google on a couple of occasions and found unlisted phone numbers that turned out to be telemarketers.

You can also consult a free phone directory which is basically a online version of a white pages. You simply type in the phone number and hopefully a report comes back listing the landline or home phone the number came from. This strategy will not help you find cell phone numbers however.

If you have a strong feeling that the phone call came from a cell phone number, you can subscribe to a paid cell phone directory. For a small fee you are given access to a directory of cell phone numbers. The problem with theses services is they are often incomplete and do not give you much information.

In my opinion, your best option is to go with a reverse phone lookup service to match a cell phone number to a person. Simply submit the phone number, and a report comes back with the name, provider information, connection status, address, and other information regarding the person. They are quick and easy, and because they are becoming more and more popular, they are frequently updated. If you were to go with a paid option, I'd recommend you go with the reverse phone lookup service over the membership directory service.