What is STIR/SHAKEN? How does STIR/SHAKEN work?

In 2021, when fraudulent calls were on the rise, reports showed that about 65% of voice service providers were transmitting illegally spoofed and robocalls. These calls cost consumers an estimated $3 billion annually. This loss caused both financial and emotional harm.

On June 30, 2022, the FCC required carriers to adopt STIR (Secure Telephone Identity Revisited)  and SHAKEN (Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using TOKENS) protocols to authenticate caller ID and reduce spamming. In addition they blocked calls that don’t meet the STIR/SHAKEN framework.

Here’s the catch: most call centers rely on non-wireline carriers such as SIP or VoIP, and if those carriers are not fully STIR/SHAKEN compliant, your calls remain unprotected. This results in lower answer rates, frustrated sales teams, and lost revenue.

This is where understanding STIR/SHAKEN becomes critical. Not just as telecom jargon, but as the backbone of your caller ID trustworthiness.

What Is STIR/SHAKEN?

Think of STIR/SHAKEN as the digital ID system for phone calls.

Just like banks use secure protocols to verify credit card transactions,  phone carriers now use STIR/SHAKEN to verify phone calls. It’s a framework that allows carriers to confirm whether a call truly originates from who it claims to be, or if spammers and robocalls might spoof it.

• STIR (Secure Telephone Identity Revisited): The technical standard that makes sure the call information hasn’t been tampered with.
  
  
• SHAKEN (Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using tokens): The framework carriers use to apply and verify those digital signatures.
  
  

The good news is, when your calls are properly authenticated, they’re delivered with what’s known as “Full” or “A” Attestation. That’s the highest level of trust. It tells carriers that “This business is verified, and this call is safe.”

But the bad news is, when your provider isn’t authorized, your calls risk being delivered with lower attestation or worse, being blocked altogether.

Why STIR/SHAKEN Matters to Your Business

If you’re running an outbound call business, you already know the battle isn’t just getting numbers dialed, but it’s all about getting people to actually pick up.

Here’s the sad part:

• Calls without proper STIR/SHAKEN authentication often show up as “Spam Likely” or “Unknown.”
  
  
• Carriers may even block them outright before they ever reach your prospects.
  
  
• Even when calls go through, customers are less likely to trust a number without a verified Caller ID.

That means your team spends hours dialing, only to face low answer rates, no sign of conversions, and hundreds of dollars lost in the process.

On the flip side, when your calls are delivered with an A Attestation, the gold standard of STIR/SHAKEN, it shows up with a verified badge on the customer’s phone. This results in carriers trusting you and customers see your calls as legitimate.

Don’t dismiss it as just a technical issue, because it directly affects your:

1. Answer rates: Are your calls even being picked up?
   
   
2. Customer trust: Do prospects believe it’s really you?
   
   
3. Revenue efficiency: How much money you’re wasting on blocked or ignored calls.
   
   

If your telecom carrier isn’t a licensed SHAKEN Service Provider, you can’t get an A Attestation. No matter what they promise.

The Compliance Deadline You Can’t Ignore

When the FCC announced the June 30, 2022 deadline, it marked a definitive turning point. Carriers who aren’t approved as STIR/SHAKEN providers are now expected to block or downgrade calls that come through without proper authentication.

For businesses, that means:

• If you’re with a non-wireline provider (like most SIP and VoIP services), your calls may already be getting flagged.
  
  
• If your provider can’t show they are a licensed SHAKEN Service Provider, your calls are at constant risk of being suppressed.
  
  
• You could be compliant on your end, but if your provider isn’t, you still lose.
  
  

This is why businesses that rely heavily on outbound sales can’t afford to wait and see what happens. Caller ID trust is no longer optional; it's required.

The Attestation Levels Explained

Not all authentication is created equal. Under STIR/SHAKEN, carriers assign one of three “attestation levels” to each call:

1. Full (A Attestation): The provider has verified the customer and the phone number. This is the gold standard.
   
   
2. Partial (B Attestation): The provider knows the customer, but can’t verify the number. These calls are more likely to get filtered or flagged.
   
   
3. Gateway (C Attestation): The provider can’t verify either. These calls are treated with suspicion and often blocked.
   
   

If you want your calls to consistently connect, you need an A Attestation. Anything less, and you’re rolling the dice with every dial.

What Business Owners Often Try (And Why It Falls Short)

Here’s what many outbound teams do when they notice answer rates dropping:

• Switching to new phone numbers to avoid “Spam Likely” tags.
  
  
• Buy new caller IDs in bulk.
  
  
• Adjust dialing speeds or call cadences.
  
  
• Use free tools to check whether their numbers are flagged or not.
  
  

While these tactics may help temporarily, they don’t solve the root problem. If your provider isn’t licensed under STIR/SHAKEN, your calls will never consistently receive an A Attestation. That means carriers will always see them as lower trust.

Why QVD Is Your Trusted SHAKEN Partner

This is where Quality Voice & Data (QVD) changes the game.

As a licensed SHAKEN Service Provider and recognized TrustedCaller™, QVD aims to deliver your calls with the highest level of authentication available with Full or “A” Attestation. That means when your calls hit the carriers, they pass through with verified status instead of being flagged, filtered, or blocked.

Here’s how QVD protects your caller ID reputation and keeps your team connecting with real people:

• Direct Carrier Relationships
  Your calls are digitally signed and delivered straight to the major carriers with an A Attestation, so you aren’t at the mercy of third-party routing.
  
  
• Trusted Caller Completion Application
  Every client goes through a streamlined onboarding process (similar to financial services “Know Your Customer” standards). This ensures scammers can’t hide in the system, and legitimate businesses like yours get the credibility you deserve.
  
  
• Real-Time Traceback Coordination
  If the industry Traceback Group ever flags suspicious traffic, QVD ensures you can be identified and cleared quickly, so your reputation doesn’t take the hit.
  
  
• Proven Expertise
  With over 15 years in telecom and a long track record of client success, QVD knows how to keep answer rates high and wasted dials low.
  
  

Bottom line: QVD does not just monitor your caller ID reputation, but they actively protect it with the only thing that carriers trust: licensed SHAKEN authentication.

Ready to Test Your SHAKEN Status?

If you’re still unsure whether your calls are being delivered with an A Attestation, the answer is simple: don’t guess, test it.

QVD makes it easy by filling out a short form. Dialing just four numbers into your outbound dialer (or calling directly from your phone system), we’ll show you if your calls are truly being delivered as “trusted” or if they’re at risk of being flagged.

With QVD as your SHAKEN Service Provider, you’re making verified and trusted connections with the reputation of your brand.

Conduct your SHAKEN test today and see how QVD can restore confidence to your caller ID.