Out-of-Band STIR: Overcoming Attestation Challenges On Outbound Calls

The Attestation Dilemma in Outbound Sales Calls

Outbound sales calls frequently encounter the issue of missing attestation ratings, which is a crucial measure of call trustworthiness. The introduction of Out-of-Band STIR aims to address this challenge. A call may lack an attestation rating for various reasons:

1. The call is initiated from a legacy phone system without STIR/SHAKEN capabilities.
2. An intermediary carrier on the call path removes the attestation rating.
3. The originating carrier or dialing platform does not support STIR/SHAKEN.

Without an attestation rating, it becomes difficult for the receiving carrier to determine the call's legitimacy. This increases the chances of false positives in spam filtering and negatively impacts the effectiveness of outbound sales calls. Out-of-Band STIR provides a solution to overcome these obstacles and improve call authentication.

Out-of-Band STIR: The Future Solution for Call Authentication

Out-of-Band STIR is an innovative approach to call authentication that addresses the limitations of the STIR/SHAKEN framework. It allows receiving carriers to verify the legitimacy of a call, even if the attestation rating is not transmitted through the main call connection process. It achieves this by:

1. Utilizing an alternative communication channel and third-party databases to verify caller information
2. Allowing receiving carriers to look up the attestation rating of a call to determine if it is legitimate or spam

This solution has significant potential to revolutionize call authentication and enhance the security and reliability of the phone network.

Overcoming the Challenges of Out-of-Band STIR Implementation

While Out-of-Band STIR presents a promising solution, its widespread adoption requires overcoming several challenges:

1. Industry-wide agreement: Carriers, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders must agree on the use of centralized databases for storing identity tokens.
2. Database management: A central authority must be designated to manage the identity tokens database, ensuring its security, privacy, and accessibility to authorized parties.
3. Integration with existing systems: Carriers need to integrate Out-of-Band STIR into their existing call authentication and verification infrastructure, which may require additional investments in software, hardware, and training.

Despite these challenges, there is growing interest and support from industry leaders, such as TransNexus and Neustar, who have already developed implementations.

Enhancing Call Authentication with NumberVerifier

NumberVerifier is a tool that offers attestation checking and recording capabilities, allowing users to verify whether their carrier or dialing platform is signing their calls and the attestation score assigned to them. By leveraging NumberVerifier, businesses can ensure that their outbound sales calls have the appropriate attestation ratings, improving their effectiveness and reducing the likelihood of false positives in spam filtering.

Conclusion: Out-of-Band STIR as the Future of Call Authentication

Out-of-Band STIR holds significant promise for revolutionizing call authentication and overcoming the limitations of the STIR/SHAKEN framework. By enabling receiving carriers to verify call legitimacy through alternative communication channels and third-party databases, It can help enhance call security and restore trust in the phone network.

As the telecommunications industry continues to combat robocalls and spam calls, adopting can play a crucial role in ensuring a more secure and reliable ecosystem. By working together to address the challenges associated with its implementation, carriers, regulators, and other stakeholders can make Out-of-Band STIR an integral part of the call authentication landscape.

Tools like NumberVerifier can further support this endeavor by providing businesses with the means to monitor and verify their calls' attestation ratings, enhancing the overall effectiveness of outbound sales calls and contributing to a more secure telecommunications environment.

Sources:

1. [TransNexus - Out-of-Band STIR](https://transnexus.com/whitepapers/out-of-band-stir/)
2. Neustar - STIR/SHAKEN and Out-of-Band STIR
3. FCC - STIR/SHAKEN Caller ID Authentication

Out-of-Band STIR and the Role of Regulatory Bodies

As Out-of-Band STIR gains momentum in the telecommunications industry, regulatory bodies like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) play a critical role in facilitating its adoption. By developing standards and guidelines for implementation and encouraging industry-wide cooperation, regulatory bodies can help create a more secure and trustworthy phone network.

In addition to setting standards, regulatory bodies can also support the development of centralized databases for storing identity tokens, ensuring that they adhere to strict security and privacy requirements. This will be essential in maintaining the integrity of the Out-of-Band STIR framework and fostering trust among carriers and consumers.

Preparing for the Future of Call Authentication

As Out-of-Band STIR continues to gain traction, businesses and carriers alike need to prepare for the future of call authentication. This includes:

1. Investing in technologies that support Out-of-Band STIR and its integration into existing call authentication systems
2. Collaborating with industry partners to address the challenges associated with implementation, such as database management and integration with legacy systems
3. Educating employees and customers about the benefits of and the importance of call authentication in combating robocalls and spam calls

By embracing Out-of-Band STIR and working together to overcome the challenges associated with its adoption, the telecommunications industry can make significant strides towards a more secure and reliable phone network.

Embracing Innovation and Collaboration in Call Authentication

Out-of-Band STIR represents a significant step forward in call authentication, but its successful implementation will require industry-wide collaboration, innovation, and commitment. By partnering with leading technology providers, carriers, and regulatory bodies, businesses can help drive the adoption and contribute to a safer telecommunications ecosystem.

In conclusion, Out-of-Band STIR has the potential to revolutionize call authentication and enhance the security and reliability of the phone network. By working together to address the challenges associated with its implementation and leveraging tools like NumberVerifier, carriers, businesses, and regulators can create a more secure and trustworthy telecommunications environment.

Outbound sales calls often face the challenge of not having an attestation rating assigned, which is a measure of a call's trustworthiness. Implementing Out-of-Band STIR can help address these issues and improve call authentication. The lack of an attestation rating can occur for a variety of reasons:

1. The call originates from a legacy phone system that lacks STIR/SHAKEN capabilities
2. An intermediary carrier along the call path removes the attestation rating
3. The originating carrier or dialing platform does not support STIR/SHAKEN

Without an attestation rating, it becomes difficult for the receiving carrier to determine the call's legitimacy, increasing the likelihood of false positives in spam filtering and negatively impacting the effectiveness of outbound sales calls. Utilizing Out-of-Band STIR can help overcome these challenges and ensure better call authentication.