Device.carrier

The mobile carrier or internet provider for the connection, as a name such as "VERIZON". The exchange chooses the names and should publish its list to buyers in advance.

CurrentstringOptionalSince 2.0

Field facts

Path: device.carrier
Object: Device
Type: string
Requirement: Optional
Added: OpenRTB 2.0
Spec section: 3.2.18

How it is used

The definition has moved over time. OpenRTB 2.0 to 2.2 asked for a value based on the Mobile Network Code, 2.3 and 2.4 suggested "WIFI" as a marker for fast connections, and 2.5 dropped both ideas in favor of curated names plus the separate device.mccmnc. Because names differ between exchanges, buyers that target carriers usually key on mccmnc instead.

Example

Where the field sits in a payload, with everything else left out:

{
  "id": "req-1",
  "device": {
    "carrier": "VERIZON"
  }
}

Common mistakes

Sending "WIFI" as the carrier. That habit comes from the 2.3 and 2.4 text; the network type belongs in device.connectiontype.

Version history

Added in OpenRTB 2.0, and present in the latest snapshot. The table shows how each version's spec text types the field.

Versions	Type in the spec	Required	Deprecated
2.0 to 2.2	string	No	No
2.3 to 2.3.1	string	No	No
2.4	string	No	No
2.5 to 2.6-202606	string	No	No