What is STIR/SHAKEN?

STIR/SHAKEN, also known as Secure Telephone Identity Revisited/Signature-Based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs, was designed in 2019 with the sole purpose of blocking and flagging spoofed robocalls. 

According to the FCC, “STIR/SHAKEN digitally validates the handoff of phone calls passing through the complex web of networks, allowing the phone company of the consumer receiving the call to verify that a call is in fact from the number displayed on the Caller ID.”

In September 2020, the FCC implemented the Congressional direction from the Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (TRACED Act). These FCC rules required providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN in the Internet Protocol as of June 30, 2021. 

Recent Updates To STIR/SHAKEN

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced on October 3, 2022, that it will remove seven voice service providers from its Robocall Mitigation database if they did not take specific steps toward robocall mitigation, including implementing STIR/SHAKEN.1

Additionally, in May of 2022, the FCC adopted proposed rules to ensure that gateway providers channeling international calls were also complying with STIR/SHAKEN.2 These proposed rules would:

  • Require gateway providers to develop and submit traffic mitigation plans to the Robocall Mitigation Database.
  • Require gateway providers to apply STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication to unauthenticated foreign-originated Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) calls with U.S. North American Numbering Plan (NANP) numbers.
  • Require gateway providers to respond to traceback requests in 24 hours, block calls where it is clear they are conduits for illegal traffic, and implement ‘know your upstream provider’ obligations.

What Has Happened Since STIR/
SHAKEN Has Been Implemented?

The Robocall Mitigation Database (RMDB) shows that 1,778 carriers had implemented STIR/SHAKEN as of November 2021. 127 carriers are represented by that number. This shows that not only are carriers actively implementing the STIR/SHAKEN program, but that it is also being adopted internationally. This makes it more important than ever to begin taking action as a call center in order to ensure your calls receive full attestation.3

How is STIR/SHAKEN Different from
Call Blocking?

STIR/SHAKEN is a type of call blocking protocol. It utilizes attestation ratings to determine if the call should be blocked by the carrier. There are three types of attestation categories a number is assigned:

Full Attestation (Full or A)

For a call to be assigned full attestation, it means the carrier originated the call, can verify an association with the number calling, and that it has a pre-existing relationship with the number.

Partial Attestation (Partial or B)

This level of attestation means the carrier knows the customer but does not know the source of the number calling. In other words, the call/text might be spam.

Gateway Attestation (Gateway or C)

With gateway attestation, the carrier is unable to authenticate the call source. A number assigned to this level of attestation will be flagged or blocked as spam.

Who is Required To Utilize STIR/
SHAKEN?

The FCC requires most networks within the U.S. to implement STIR/SHAKEN protocol. Facilities-based small service providers and gateway providers are required to implement STIR/SHAKEN by June 30, 2023.

Are Your Calls Getting Blocked?

In addition to the STIR/SHAKEN regulation, other potential causes of your calls and texts getting blocked and flagged can include: 

  • Customers Reporting Calls: More resources are available now than ever before for customers to report numbers, calls, and texts. 
  • Algorithms by Telco Carriers: New algorithms by various Telco Carriers is making it more likely for numbers to be blocked, leaving your auto-dialing approaches vulnerable. 
  • New Technology: New 3rd party apps are being created that specifically block numbers.

Call Blocking Solutions

There are several solutions to reduce the chances of your numbers being blocked, all of which involve your lead gen call center numbers becoming a legitimate caller.

Advance Your Strategies:

Marketing and dialing techniques that worked decades ago are no longer relevant. With the new regulations in 2020 and 2021, it’s critical for your business to implement advanced calling strategies that can keep up with the times. By using technology that focuses on skills-based routing, state licensing, dynamic distribution via tags, hunt number distribution, and more, you’re able to easily create workflows and keep callers engaged.

Dial Smarter and Faster:
Dialing options including click-to-call, progressive dialer, and predictive dialer can help you effectively reach consumers without getting flagged. 
Analyze Call Patterns:
Call patterns need to be monitored and strategic in order for your calls to not be labeled as spam likely. The answer is using an auto-dialing system that is advanced enough to do this. 
Analyze Call Volume:
Similarly to the above, you need to utilize an auto-dialing system that can strategically analyze call volume.

Spam Guru by Ricochet360

Spam Guru helps solve the issue of low connection rates and call blocking. This new one-of-a-kind feature will help call centers and sales teams bypass these protocols, and allow agents to reach more leads and convert them to customers. 

One of the main components of Spam Guru is that customers can manage their outbound calling limit per number per day, and evenly distribute their dialing across their own pool of numbers. Which in turn, lessens the risk of their calling operation being flagged as spam likely or getting blocked numbers. 

When numbers get flagged as spam, caller ID is also and connection rates are also compromised. Another key component of this feature is the ability to purchase new numbers as needed. Spam Guru automatically monitors the health of all owned phone numbers and also allows customers to easily purchase new, clean numbers as needed. Ricochet360’s robust API system validates if phone numbers have been flagged as spam or not. 

Dial smarter, and dial with confidence.