In today’s technology-dominated world where much of our interactions happen over the phone or online, it’s more important than ever to keep our identities and information protected. That’s where STIR/SHAKEN comes in. STIR/SHAKEN stands for Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) and Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information using toKENs (SHAKEN). This makes up a set of standards that determine the Caller ID authentication label that appears on your phone screen to help prevent robocalling. 

Learning the ins and outs of STIR/SHAKEN can seem intimidating at first, but it’s an essential tool for consumers and network providers to know about. So to help you better understand what it’s all about, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about STIR/SHAKEN below. 

What Does STIR/SHAKEN Mean? 

So what exactly is STIR/SHAKEN? Basically, it’s an industry-developed set of rules and procedures created to improve call integrity by using authenticating Caller ID information. This information is associated with telephone calls, and STIR/SHAKEN assigns each call an encrypted digital footprint. Therefore, calls traveling through the interconnected phone networks would be considered as legitimate by originating carriers and validated by other carriers before reaching consumers. 

Why Is It Important? 

Again, privacy and security are essential for safe telecommunications and digital networking. Nobody wants spam calls. With STIR/SHAKEN technology in place, you will be better able to avoid illegal robocalling and fraudulent spoofed calls. As the implementation of this advanced authenticating technology continues, consumers will be able to trust that they know who is on the other line. 

What Are the Limitations? 

While STIR/SHAKEN is progressing the safety of telecommunications, there are some limitations. One challenge that the regulations present is creating an authentication process that blocks the fraudulent spam calls without blocking the ability of businesses to contact their customers for legitimate reasons. Additionally, STIR/SHAKEN only works on IP-based telephone networks. This means service providers cannot properly authenticate calls originating from non-IP systems or equipment. 

When Will It Be Implemented? 

According to the Federal Communications Commision, they will require all providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN in the IP portions of their networks by June 30, 2021 so Americans can feel protected and confident in their everyday telecommunication practices. Currently, there are only seven companies, including 1Route, with the approved certification authority to provide this technology to 4,000 cell phone providers in the US. 

Are you interested in learning more about STIR/SHAKEN and how it can help you? Contact a 1Route professional today!