If you've ever received a robocall or a spam call, you're not alone. In fact, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Americans received nearly 4 billion robocalls per month in 2020. In an effort to combat this growing problem, the FCC has implemented new regulations requiring voice service providers to use STIR/SHAKEN technology to authenticate caller ID information.

At Prescott-Martini, we are an authorized provider of both verified ANIs and digital tokens, as well as Mitigation Database registration services, to help businesses stay STIR/SHAKEN compliant. In this blog post, we'll dive into the world of telephone identity numbers and how STIR/SHAKEN technology is helping combat the issue of caller ID spoofing.

What Are Telephone Identity Numbers?

Telephone identity numbers (TINs) are unique identifiers that are used to authenticate the origin of a telephone call. These numbers can include the calling party number (CPN) or the calling party name (CPName). When a call is made, the TIN is transmitted along with the call to the recipient's phone network. The recipient's phone network then uses the TIN to display the caller's information on the recipient's phone.

However, the problem is that TINs can be easily spoofed, or faked, by scammers and spammers. This means that a spammer can easily make it look like they're calling from a local number or even from a legitimate business or government agency. This is where STIR/SHAKEN technology comes in.

What Is STIR/SHAKEN Technology?

STIR/SHAKEN is a framework that stands for Secure Telephone Identity Revisited and Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs. This framework is designed to help prevent caller ID spoofing by authenticating the TIN of a phone call. The STIR/SHAKEN framework uses digital certificates and cryptographic keys to verify that the TIN is legitimate and hasn't been spoofed.

How Does STIR/SHAKEN Work?

The STIR/SHAKEN framework works by using two types of digital certificates: a signing certificate and a verification certificate. The signing certificate is used by the voice service provider to digitally sign the TIN of the outbound call. This creates a digital signature that can be verified by the recipient's phone network.

The verification certificate is used by the recipient's phone network to verify the digital signature of the TIN. If the digital signature is verified, the recipient's phone network can be confident that the TIN is legitimate and hasn't been spoofed. If the digital signature cannot be verified, the recipient's phone network can flag the call as potential spam or fraud.

At Prescott-Martini, we offer both verified ANIs and digital tokens to help ensure that your outbound calls are not flagged as potential spam or fraud. Verified ANIs are phone numbers that have been verified to belong to a specific business or organization. Digital tokens are unique identifiers that are assigned to each outbound call and are verified by the recipient's phone network. By using verified ANIs and digital tokens, we help ensure that your outbound calls are authentic and not being spoofed.

Mitigation Database Registration Services

In addition to our verified ANIs and digital tokens, we also provide Mitigation Database registration services to help you stay STIR/SHAKEN compliant. The Mitigation Database is a database maintained by the industry that lists phone numbers that have been flagged as potential spam or fraud. By registering your phone numbers with the Mitigation Database, you can help ensure that your calls are not blocked or flagged as potential spam or fraud.

Get in touch with Prescott-Martini to learn more about telephone identity numbers!

In conclusion, telephone identity numbers are unique identifiers that are used to authenticate the origin of a telephone call. However, TINs can be easily spoofed by scammers and spammers, which is why the FCC has implemented STIR/SHAKEN technology to help combat caller ID spoofing. The STIR/SHAKEN framework uses digital certificates and cryptographic keys to verify the authenticity of the TIN of a phone call, helping to prevent spam and fraud.

At Prescott-Martini, we are committed to helping businesses stay STIR/SHAKEN compliant. We offer both verified ANIs and digital tokens to help ensure that your outbound calls are not flagged as potential spam or fraud. Additionally, we provide Mitigation Database registration services to help ensure that your calls are not blocked or flagged as potential spam or fraud.

By using our services, you can help protect your business from the negative effects of caller ID spoofing, such as decreased customer trust and potential legal ramifications. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you stay STIR/SHAKEN compliant and protect your business from the effects of caller ID spoofing.