What Is STIR/SHAKEN?

Phonexa

3 minute read

STIR/SHAKEN is a call authentication standard that confirms that every inbound call comes from a verified number, protecting affiliate networks, advertisers, and call buyers from potential non-compliance.

The name consists of two abbreviations: 

• STIR stands for Secure Telephone Identity Revisited, setting the rules for verifying a number as real.
• SHAKEN is Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs, defining how carriers apply that verification stamp as the call moves through their network.

The main goal of STIR/SHAKEN is to stop caller ID spoofing and mitigate robocalls, where scammers make a call look like it’s coming from a separate number. It can be your bank’s number, a local area code, anything that earns your trust. 

By validating caller IDs across pay per call campaigns, STIR/SHAKEN keeps legitimate marketing calls deliverable, optimizes budget allocation, and ensures all inbound calls you handle are real. STIR/SHAKEN was introduced by the FCC and tied to TCPA compliance, and now is the baseline infrastructure for any call-driven business. 

How STIR/SHAKEN Works

STIR/SHAKEN works by attaching a digital signature to a call the moment it starts. The originating carrier signs the call with a confidence level called attestation, and that rating is what lets advertisers and buyers trust the traffic reaching their campaigns. 

There are three attestation levels:

• Full (A): the carrier knows the customer and confirms their right to use the number, which is the gold standard for pay-per-call. 
• Partial (B): the customer is known, but the number can’t be confirmed.
• Gateway (C): the call was passed along, but its origin can’t be vouched for.

The STIR/SHAKEN signature travels with the call. On the receiving end, the terminating carrier checks it against a certificate. A call carrying full attestation arrives trusted. A spoofed or weakly attested call fails the check and gets labeled, queued for scrutiny, or blocked. 

For a call-driven business that uses STIR/SHAKEN, two identical-looking calls can have opposite outcomes: One becomes revenue; the other never reaches a sales rep, depending on how STIR/SHAKEN signed it at the source.

Basic Compliance vs. Enterprise-Grade Authentication

How STIR/SHAKEN works for your business depends on how it’s implemented. 

• A basic setup allows a static certificate to be applied to a small pool of numbers so they stop getting flagged. The goal is to register the numbers, get the call to ring through to a local office, and possibly improve answer rates a little.
• Enterprise-grade STIR/SHAKEN works differently: millisecond-level signing across high-volume inbound and outbound pay per call campaigns, tied to live fraud screening.

The main goal of implementing STIR/SHAKEN is to achieve full deliverability for high-volume pay per call campaigns while ensuring every lead is legitimate so you stay compliant and protected from fraud. The rules themselves don’t bend with company size, as a solo operator and an enterprise network face the same per-call penalties.

What Makes STIR/SHAKEN with Phonexa Superior

For affiliate networks, lead generators, advertisers, and affiliates handling large volumes of inbound calls, it’s necessary to both meet the FCC and TCPA compliance requirements and ensure the calls you accept are qualified for the buyer in your system or your own sales reps.

On top of the STIR/SHAKEN certification, Phonexa offers an enterprise call intelligence platform Call Logic, which tracks, distributes, and analyzes inbound calls, as well as allows you to screen these calls in real-time through the iClear integration.

With Call Logic, you can:

• Authenticate inbound call numbers 
• Hold full attestation across high-volume inbound and outbound campaigns
• Distribute verified calls to the right buyer while auto-rejecting suspicious traffic
• Protect your business from fraud and mislabeled call numbers

As a result, you get an automated call management system that can be trusted and is protected from the FCC fines, TCPA lawsuits, and affiliate marketing fraud that follow weak caller authentication. When launched correctly, STIR/SHAKEN keeps your inbound call campaigns clean and effective.