TCN Launches ‘Understanding STIR/SHAKEN,’ an Online Business Guide to the New FCC Framework for Combating Illegal Caller ID Spoofing

ST. GEORGE, UT -- TCN, Inc., a global provider of a comprehensive cloud-based call center platform for enterprises, contact centers, BPOs, and collection agencies, today announced the launch of “Understanding STIR/SHAKEN,” an online guide that breaks down the most important rules and issues related to the new Secure Telephone Identity Revisited/Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKEN (STIR/SHAKEN) framework, which takes effect on June 30, 2021. It also addresses the additional FCC rules of the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act for businesses that are unable to implement STIR/SHAKEN right away.

“Every day, Americans receive millions of fraudulent, unwanted phone calls, including calls with malicious intent that ‘spoof’ or falsify caller ID information,” said McKay Bird, chief marketing officer at TCN. “These spoofed calls are not just an annoyance -- they represent billions of dollars lost to fraud, damage consumer confidence in voice networks and threaten public safety. STIR/SHAKEN is an important and needed step toward restoring the trust of Americans in their voice networks and giving them a greater degree of confidence that the caller ID information they receive on their phone is accurate.”

STIR/SHAKEN (Secure Telephone Identity Revisited/Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKEN) was introduced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a framework for preventing fraudulent and unwanted calls to consumers. It is an industry-standard caller ID authentication technology that allows voice service providers to verify that a call is in fact from the number displayed on Caller ID. STIR/SHAKEN assigns a certificate of authenticity to each call and digitally validates the handoff of calls carried over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. The FCC expects that widespread implementation of STIR/SHAKEN will reduce illegal spoofing, allow law enforcement to identify bad actors more easily and help service providers identify calls with illegally spoofed caller ID information before those calls reach their customers. The FCC requires service providers to adopt and deploy a STIR/SHAKEN solution by June 30, 2021.

“STIR/SHAKEN is about validating the caller’s identity between the caller and callee, the originating/terminating carriers and all the touchpoints in between,” said Bird. “For contact centers, call centers and BPOs, STIR/SHAKEN is an important tool for building trust that can further protect your organization from the possibility of being misidentified when contacting customers. It also allows voice service providers to provide helpful information to their customers about which calls to answer.”

TCN’s STIR/SHAKEN online resources for businesses include:

●      The Real Reasons for STIR/SHAKEN

●      Breaking Down STIR/SHAKEN

●      Why is STIR/SHAKEN So Important to My Call Center?

●      A Quick Look at the Entire Process

●      What Can STIR/SHAKEN Do and Not Do?

●      How STIR/SHAKEN Works

●      STIR/SHAKEN Technology: How It Will Impact Your Call Center

●      Q&A: STIR/SHAKEN

TCN has already implemented STIR/SHAKEN protocols with carriers. Its clients have the opportunity to take advantage of TCN’s full attestation protocols that can help verify business phone numbers while reducing compliance risk. For more information, go to: https://www.tcn.com/understanding-stir-shaken/.

About TCN, Inc.

TCN is a global provider of a comprehensive, cloud-based call center platform for enterprises, contact centers, business process outsourcing firms (BPOs) and collection agencies. Founded in 1999, TCN combines a deep understanding of the needs of call centers with a unique approach to pricing – no contracts, monthly minimums or maintenance fees – that supports rapid scaling and instant flexibility to changing business needs. TCN’s flagship platform for contact centers, TCN Operator, features a holistic set of easy-to-use, automated agent tools and advanced apps for omnichannel communications, workforce engagement, compliance & data management, integration & automation, intelligence, reporting & analytics and collaboration & accessibility. Its suite of compliance tools helps businesses meet the requirements of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and other state and federal regulations, including new and updated debt collection rules issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. TCN Operator integrates seamlessly with leading APIs and is accessible to agents with visual impairments. TCN is trusted by Fortune 500 companies and enterprises of all sizes in multiple industries in many countries. For more information, visit https://www.tcn.com/ and follow on Twitter @tcn.