SHAKEN and STIR’d: Combatting Robocalls to Save Money and Improve Customer Satisfaction

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Bob McCausland

This article is condensed and originally appeared in Telecom Reseller.

Robert McCausland
VP Regulatory and Government Affairs Intrado Communications, LLC

In December 2019, a staggering 4.6 billion robocalls were placed nationwide, 42 percent of which were scams. Now, thanks to the passage of the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (or the TRACED Act), which further penalizes telecom fraud violations and was signed into law that same month, consumers will have more protections against these pesky, invasive interruptions.

I applaud the new legislation and look forward to a future with fewer fraudulent calls—a sentiment I’m sure is shared by the recipients of the 58.5 billion robocalls that were placed nationwide in 2019, as well as by providers of legitimate, consumer-consented robocalls.

As we prepare to head into the new era of fewer illicit robocalls, it is important for communications service providers (CSPs) to understand the implications of the new law and their obligations outlined within the new legislation. In response to the TRACED Act, some providers have already started putting STIR/SHAKEN protocols in place to verify callers. But others aren’t quite there yet.

Let’s take a look at the TRACED Act and STIR/SHAKEN. I will walk you through how STIR/SHAKEN works, why it aims to flag calls rather than block them, as well as some of the impacts of complying with STIR/SHAKEN.

To read more, click here.