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For smaller and rural carriers, the FCC has mandated that STIR/SHAKEN be implemented no later than June 30, 2022. Please continue reading for answers to frequently asked questions regarding these new protocols and standards.

What is STIR/SHAKEN?

A set of protocols and mechanisms to help mitigate the rise of spam/scam calls across the world. In 2018, it’s estimated that over 29% of calls were spam calls. Up from less than 4% the previous year.

What are Spam Calls?

Spam calls refer to unwanted calls. This can be as simple as a sales call or as cautionary as a scam call. A scam call refers to calls surrounding fraudulent activity.

Can’t I Just Block the Number the Caller is Using?

Yes and no. If the call is a sales call or from an unwanted organization, you can block the number (although calls may still be sent to voicemail). However, many spam calls are placed using spoofed numbers, so they aren’t actually calling from that number. Blocking a spoofed number may result in blocking legitimate calls and will not keep the spammer/scammer from calling you by spoofing a different number.

What is Number Spoofing?

Number spoofing allows callers to change their caller ID. This lets spammers make the call look like it’s coming from any number they choose.

What are Robocalls?

Robocalling can refer to calls that are placed automatically and/or use a prerecorded message or voice recognition and prerecorded messages to communicate.

What is STIR?

STIR (Secure Telephone Identity Revisited) adds information to the header of the incoming data used when placing and receiving calls. This information allows both endpoints to verify/identify the origin of the caller. It does not keep calls from being spoofed; however, it does allow the receiver to verify whether or not the call is trustworthy.

What is SHAKEN?

SHAKEN (Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs) helps define how to verify the calling number and how the call will be routed across communication networks. Together with STIR, these protocols and mechanisms are used to verify the origin of a call using what is called “attestation.”

What is attestation?

Attestation refers to three levels of verification within the STIR/SHAKEN protocol.

What are the levels of attestation?

There are three levels of attestation:

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• If gateway attestation is awarded, the service provider can authenticate the call’s origination, but they cannot verify the source of the call. This level of attestation is usually awarded to international gateway calls.

Does attestation guarantee verified identification is always accurate?

The levels of attestation represent the confidence that the caller’s identification is accurate; however, it isn’t always as simple as that. When a call appears to be inauthentic, it may just be coming from an unverifiable—but legitimate—source.

How do the different levels of attestation work?

Here is a quick explanation of each level of attestation:

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• The carrier is not considered the entry point (EP) of an incoming call to a VoIP network.

• The carrier does not have an existing relationship with the caller

• The carrier cannot verify the calling ID and is only able to determine the entry point on the network.

What does attestation mean for your call traffic?

The attestation process involved in STIR/SHAKEN is crucial for increasing your outgoing call traffic. If your business makes plenty of customer calls—especially cold calls—to new potential clients, the attestation standards may encourage some customers to pick up the phone.

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