Understanding STIR/SHAKEN: A Simple Guide to Stopping Spoofed Calls
If you’ve ever answered a call that appeared to be from a familiar number, only to discover it was a scammer, you’ve already experienced why STIR/SHAKEN exists. In 2024 alone, Americans received roughly 38 billion robocalls, many of them using spoofed caller IDs to trick recipients.
STIR/SHAKEN is the telecom industry’s answer—an authentication framework that helps verify *who* is actually calling. While the name may sound like something out of a spy movie, the concept is powerful, practical, and essential to securing voice communications nationwide.
At OneVoice Communications, we ensure that all underlying carrier partners comply with STIR/SHAKEN requirements, so your calls travel through a trusted, authenticated path.
What Is STIR/SHAKEN?
The Problem:
Traditional phone networks were never designed to validate the identity of a caller. With the growth of VoIP, scammers have found it easy to spoof numbers.
The Solution:
STIR/SHAKEN verifies caller ID information using:
- STIR: Secure Telephone Identity Revisited—digitally signs caller ID info.
- SHAKEN: Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs—defines how carriers apply STIR signatures across networks.
Together, they allow carriers to attach a digital certificate that validates a caller’s identity as the call travels through the network.
How STIR/SHAKEN Works
STIR/SHAKEN is a caller‑authentication framework that helps carriers verify whether a call is legitimate as it moves across the phone network. When a call is placed, the originating carrier checks if the caller is authorized to use the number, assigns an attestation level (A for fully verified, B for partially verified, or C when the caller is unknown), and then digitally signs the call before passing it along. As the call travels through other carriers, each network verifies that signature so the recipient’s carrier can determine whether the call is trustworthy, helping reduce spoofing and improve call integrity.
Key Advantages
- Better protection against spoofed calls
- Increased trust in caller ID information
- Higher answer rates for legitimate business calls
- Better traceability for enforcement against bad actors
- Compliance with federal regulations under the TRACED Act
Why STIR/SHAKEN Matters
How OneVoice Ensures STIR/SHAKEN-Compliant Calling
OneVoice ensures fully STIR/SHAKEN‑compliant calling by partnering exclusively with carriers who meet all FCC requirements, maintain their own authentication certificates, and keep attestation responsibilities in‑house to preserve call integrity. These carriers also follow strict robocall‑mitigation and traceability procedures, giving your organization the highest level of protection against spoofing. As a result, this ensures:
- Your calls are authenticated
- Your business numbers maintain strong reputation
- Spoofing attempts against your organization are mitigated
- Your outbound calls are more likely to be answered
The Bottom Line
STIR/SHAKEN is one of the most important tools in restoring trust to the voice network. At OneVoice Communications, our carrier relationships ensure your communications remain secure, authenticated, and fully compliant.
