Countering robocalls and unlawful caller ID spoofing has become one of the FCC’s top customer protection priorities. Accordingly, the FCC has laid several impactful proposals and implementations to protect customers. For example, the TRACED Act is bipartisan legislation that mandates implementing the STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication framework to supplement robocall mitigation. The STIR/SHAKEN technology aims to intercept fraudulent caller ID spoofing on public telephone networks by validating calls through digital certificates.
The FCC’s June 30 deadline for implementation and registering in the robocall mitigation database (RMD) has already passed, starting the countdown timer for all service providers to be compliant. Voice service providers need to be aware of a few other items at play as well.
Additional Concerns With STIR/SHAKEN Implementation
Simply implementing STIR/SHAKEN is not enough. Service providers must also remain compliant with the TRACED Act, TCPA Act, and other requirements related to the proper use of caller ID. Here is a brief rundown of some of the challenges:
Upcoming Blocking Deadline:
As of now, all terminating and intermediate providers must not accept direct calls from service providers not registered in the RMD database.
‘A’ Attestation for Authentication:
Soon, all voice providers must be able to sign numbers with an A-level or full attestation to ensure they and the calling party are authorized to use that calling number. This includes calls from an enterprise that is using calling numbers from a different service provider.
Time Cutback for Small Service Providers:
The current time extension for small service providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN is two years. The FCC has proposed to shorten this duration to one year for certain service providers.
Emphasis on “Know Your Customer”:
KYC was previously not relevant in the telecommunications industry, but that has changed as we move towards STIR/SHAKEN. The FCC now mandates "Know Your Customer" policies to promote transparency. Do you know what kinds of calls they are making, and whether they should be using that telephone number? It's critical for you to understand the kind of traffic your customers are generating.
Prioritizing Analysis:
The FCC expects voice service providers to actively monitor their work to prevent illegal calls. This indicates that voice services providers need ongoing analytics on all calls leaving their network.
These compliance requirements demand both automated analysis and consistent procedures. It's crucial to implement the necessary measures for compliance as soon as possible.
ECG Simplifies Compliance
ECG will provide guidance and technical expertise to help you grasp the TRACED Act, STIR/SHAKEN, and robocall mitigation. ECG can identify and integrate the right software to achieve both efficiency and compliance. We know the fastest and the most effective ways available to detect and prevent telecom fraud, some of which are:
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Blocking calls with specific fraudulent attributes
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CDR analysis to detect suspicious call activities
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Real-time traffic analysis to counter nuisance calls
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Shield from numbers which are risky, invalid, or which do not originate
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Reputation lookup to know the vulnerability of certain numbers
Service providers, government agencies, and large enterprises worldwide trust ECG for building and aiding their voice networks. ECG previously worked with Momentum Telecom, a cloud-based voice service provider with a nationwide presence.
"ECG's broad scope of clients means they know what's happening before we do. We stay competitive with ECG as our guide." - Mark Hayes, Vice President, Momentum Telecom.
Check out how ECG helped Momentum Telecom successfully implement STIR/SHAKEN in the most cost-efficient way here.