Ytel Completes One of the First STIR/SHAKEN Calls from CPaaS Platform
Ytel, a leading CPaaS company that helps businesses engage more customers using multi-channel communications, announced its has successfully completed one of the first STIR/SHAKEN signed and verified calls from our network.
LAKE FOREST, Calif., Feb. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Consumers in the United States aren't strangers to robocalls - they are constantly received and it can be difficult to detect whether a call is legitimate. Robocallers use methods of urgency and fear to trick people into following the steps listed on a pre-recorded message, threatening them with legal action or punishment if they don't transfer funds or provide their secure, personal information. Often times, under the guise of another trustworthy brand name, or anonymity altogether, making it a nightmare for the consumer to trust the caller. This act of using another phone number to misrepresent or hide the true identity of the caller is commonly known in the industry as Spoofing.
The rise in this fraudulent behavior is causing massive distrust in the communications industry. Congress passed the Tracted Act on December 30, 2019, with the primary goal of combating the rising number of malicious and illegal phone calls made in the U.S. This law requires service providers in the US to implement a number verification system, the STIR/SHAKEN framework, within 18 months of the passage of the law. It also requires the FCC to share its progress on the deployment of STIR/SHAKEN at the end of 2020.
STIR/SHAKEN aims to regain and strengthen trust in the communications industry, combat malicious spoofing, and protect consumers against fraud and abuse.
In 2019, there were nearly 59 billion robocalls made in the U.S. alone. Fraud and abuse in the form of robocalling and, in particular, illegally spoofed robocalling, is the number one consumer complaint to the FCC. STIR/SHAKEN is a highly advanced tool to provide indications of when fraud is occurring and in turn, will further protect consumers from falling victim to malicious activity.
What exactly is STIR/SHAKEN?
STIR, known as Secure Telephony Identity Revisited, and SHAKEN, Secure Handling of Asserted information using tokens, are telecom industry standards that allow communication service providers (CSPs) to cryptographically sign authentic calls in the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) header. These calls are authenticated by the originating service provider, then verified by the receiving service provider, and they help call receivers know whether the call is authentic or fraudulent. In short, STIR/SHAKEN ensures that the number calling you has been verified and that the call you are getting is coming from the entity that is responsible for the number.
SIP headers indicate whether the party originating the call is authorized to use the number. Since the law was passed a few months ago, providers, including Ytel, have begun the process of implementing the STIR/SHAKEN protocol into the network, beginning the process to cut down on the number of robocalls received.
As active developers in combating fraudulent phone calls, Ytel is excited to share its participation and support of the STIR/SHAKEN framework currently being deployed by service providers all over the country. Ytel has participated in establishing guidelines and creating industry-wide standards for STIR/SHAKEN as it becomes widely adopted for reform.
"Ytel is proud to be on the forefront of this positive industry change and has successfully completed one of the first STIR/SHAKEN signed and verified calls from our network. We're thrilled to be involved with the creation of this standard which positions us to help brands and consumers in the United States," said Nick Newsom, Ytel CEO.
Although service providers have until June 30, 2021, to complete a successful deployment of STIR/SHAKEN technology, the Ytel team worked diligently to do so in early 2020. The team's goal for the coming months is to remain at the forefront of new improvements to the technology and to play an active role in contributing to the protection of consumers through the adoption of this technology. Ytel encourages its customers and partners to begin the process of registering their brand with service providers ahead of STIR/SHAKEN deadlines to create the best possible outcome. For further information on Ytel's STIR/SHAKEN project please visit Ytel
SOURCE Ytel, Inc.
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