September 28, 2020 / Written by Angela Garfinkel

If the rise in unwanted calls isn’t a big enough irritation, the spoofing of numbers and changing Caller ID’s is. This deception and annoyance have led consumers to not answer their phones if they are uncertain who is calling. This has presented several challenges for legitimate companies trying to conduct business as usual as the consumer is leery of answering their phone.

STIR SHAKEN

Fraud and abuse in the form illegally spoofed robocalling, is the number one consumer complaint to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  Typically, these types of calls are made from an IP address versus what used to be a “wired” phone. With this change, the ability to trace the call back to where it originated from has been difficult. It has not been possible to shut down these illegitimate and fraudulent operations. 

To address the complaints related to illegal and unwanted robocalls in the U.S., Federal & State agencies along with the telecom industry worked together to construct a way that callers are identified, including the ability to trace back any call to its originator. On January 6, 2020, the TRACED Act was signed into law. The TRACE Act requires voice service providers to implement the STIR/SHAKEN authentication framework on all IP networks.

What is STIR/SHAKEN?

Designed to specifically combat illegal spoofing, STIR/SHAKEN is a Caller ID authentication framework of interconnected standards that can be used to verify the point of origination of a call with the ability to trace back to where it originated from. (STIR/SHAKEN are acronyms for the Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) and Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using tokens (SHAKEN) standards.)

This new framework requires authorized SHAKEN service providers (telephone companies) to digitally “sign” their customers’ calls. This signature is an acknowledgment that they know who their customers are. The good news is that regulators will have easy access to identifying the origin of any call as the SHAKEN digital signature will provide the required information.  Any carrier, who fails to identify who their customer is, would be subject to losing their ability to sign future calls. 

At the end of the day, STIR/SHAKEN is all about re-establishing trust in the communications ecosystem, taking a stronger stance against vicious robocalling, and protecting consumers.

STIR SHAKEN

Quality Voice & Data is an approved SHAKEN service provider

A national telecom carrier licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Quality Voice & Data (QVD) has met the rigorous requirements necessary to provide call attestation at the highest level for its customers. QVD is an approved SHAKEN service provider. We terminate calls directly to other carriers, so your calls are signed & delivered with full attestation. 

To learn more, call us at 888-656-5111.

About Quality Voice & Data, Inc.  

Founded in 2010, Quality Voice & Data, Inc. offers secure and reliable cloud-based telecom switching and VoIP services for customers nationally.  This includes local Caller ID numbers, IVR, PBX, SMS & MMS messaging, Conference Calling, Compliance Phone, Monitoring & Remediation services, and SIP trunking with Shaken Attestation. Our Trusted Call Completion™ service is known for maximizing our customers’ answer rates and protecting their reputation. 


Written by Angela Garfinkel

Angela Garfinkel, Director at Quality Voice and Data, brings over 30 years of experience in call center and business process outsourcing. Well known in the telemarketing and telecommunications industry, she co-authored a course for The Direct Marketing Association and actively participates in professional groups like PACE. Her educational background includes an MBA and an undergraduate degree in Telecommunications Management from the University of Nebraska.