How has SHAKEN/STIR influenced call blocking analytics, and what can you do to ensure completion of legitimate calls?
With the roll-out of SHAKEN-STIR (SHAKEN) in the US and Canada, enterprises are encountering SHAKEN-related analytics, including attestation, in new call-blocking algorithms. Attestation is critical to protecting consumers from fraud, but during this transitional period it has presented some challenges for non-fraudulent callers. Unfortunately, legitimate and wanted calls can fall into the analytics engine abyss and get inappropriately blocked.
Here we’ll take a look at how the industry is working to develop solutions that can continue to best protect consumers from unwanted calls, while ensuring that wanted calls safely reach consumers.
The first step in ensuring that legitimate calls reach their destination is developing good calling hygiene within your organization. But with many moving parts— from internal tooling to compliance requirements to communication provider management— it can be difficult to know where to start.
One step businesses can take is verifying that the numbers they use as their originating phone number (CLIs), are in-service with the brand that originates the call. If terminating providers see that a number that has originated thousands of calls in a few seconds cannot be reached when called (or reaches a different business), they suspect fraud and move the number to a blocked list.
Telnyx is working with US Telecom Partners, an industry incumbent group, to assemble a Calling Best Practices document to help good actors minimize inappropriately blocked calls. Once this document is finalized within the industry, we will inform our customers of the full list of best practices.
Another developing initiative is real-time notifications of call blocking to call originators. This would allow originators to commence redress and have numbers removed from any blocked or spam list more quickly and efficiently.
Telnyx is fighting for the industry to implement SIP Codes 607 and 608 which would identify user-based blocking and network-based blocking respectively. By identifying both types of blocks, call originators would be better positioned to correct blocking issues or investigate certain call patterns for fraudulent activity. The industry has just completed an FCC comment cycle on this issue and is awaiting FCC guidance on how notifications will be communicated within the calling network.
In the meantime, you can take a look at the redress requests best practices developed by industry partners. If you require redress, you can find some contacts here that will be able to help you out.
Aside from developing good calling hygiene, you might be asking, what can I do now to ensure that my calls reach the intended end-user? The best first step is to register your numbers prior to commencing a calling campaign with Free Caller Registry.
Free Caller Registry allows legitimate callers to provide basic information on their outbound calls, and ensure their numbers are removed from fraud or spam lists. This website covers AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon networks. We recommend registering your numbers on the Free Caller Registry website prior to commencing a calling campaign, or if you begin to see incorrect labeling or blocking.
Many customers ask Telnyx about Branded Calling— what it is, and how they can implement it. Branded Calling is a tool that displays a calling-party name and/or calling reason on a call receiver’s phone screen. It’s worth noting that while the additional context encourages receivers to pick up the call, Branded Calling does not affect termination. A majority of Branded Calling products today function like a more reliable CNAM related product and many phones and vendors cannot yet support logo functionality.
Telnyx will continue to explore expanding our branded calling offering but is first dedicated to resolving call completion issues.
If you have any questions on SHAKEN/STIR, Google Verified Calls, or the Free Caller Registry reach out to a member of our team.
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