STI-GA contracts with iconectiv as Policy Administrator

The STI-GA Governance Authority announced that they have executed the contract naming iconectiv as the STI-PA Policy Administrator. In their policy administrator role, iconectiv will enforce the rules defined by the governance authority to put SHAKEN into operation.

STIR/SHAKEN is a framework that enables the originating service provider to authenticate caller ID information with an attestation claim and digitally sign the authentication.

The terminating service provider can then verify the authentication and present the called party with verification status to inform him or her when the caller ID has been verified. This is an important component in a program to restore trust in telephone service and help consumers feel more comfortable about answering telephone calls.

The STI-PA will enforce policies so that only authorized service providers can obtain a Service Provider Code (SPC) token. With this token, service providers can get STI certificates that they will use to authenticate and sign calls. Service providers must meet three criteria to get an SPC token:

1. Have a current FCC Form 499A on file with the FCC
2. Have an Operating Company Number (OCN)
3. Have direct access to telephone numbers from the North American Number Plan Administrator (NANPA) and National Pooling Administrator (NPA)

In their announcement, the STI-GA noted that “under correct conditions a qualified service provider (SP) must be allowed to sign leased numbers as well as other numbers belonging to an OCN not assigned to that qualified SP insofar as the SP can properly verify the customer’s authorized use of that number.”