Linkt Solved SHAKEN Compliance Challenges with TransNexus

Facing a critical deadline to comply with new French telecommunications regulations, Linkt partnered with TransNexus to implement STIR/SHAKEN.

This story isn’t about TransNexus swooping in to solve every problem; it’s about two organizations with a common goal figuring it out together. The team achieved seamless regulatory compliance by leveraging TransNexus’s NexOSS solution and Linkt’s technical expertise before the June 1, 2024, deadline.

Introduction

Linkt is a prominent voice service provider in France, delivering telecommunications solutions, internet services, and more to businesses across all private and governmental industries. Utilizing Metaswitch voice switching equipment, the company has built a reputation for providing reliable and innovative communication services. Founded in 2016, Linkt has built an organization known for providing the service people need and the support they deserve.

Problem/Challenge

To earn the people’s trust and discourage abusive and fraudulent calls, the French government enacted a law, the Naegelen Law, which caused the French regulator to mandate the deployment of STIR/SHAKEN. Fraudulent calls are a global problem that individual governments are taking on and implementing solutions based on what works best for their citizens. The stage has been set for TransNexus and Linkt:

Specific Challenge: Mandatory deployment of STIR/SHAKEN-compliant technology by June 1, 2024.

Critical Goals:

• Rapidly implement a fully compliant solution
• Ensure sufficient time for comprehensive testing
• Maintain network security and infrastructure integrity

Solution

Products and Services

TransNexus provided NexOSS, a comprehensive solution designed to address STIR/SHAKEN compliance and more. NexOSS is a suite of integrated VoIP applications for route and rate provisioning, number translation rules, fraud prevention, robocall mitigation, STIR/SHAKEN call authentication and verification, traffic analysis, and billing analytics and reporting. The United States has a version of STIR/SHAKEN mandated by the FCC, but it has different requirements than the French version, so live environment testing was needed with Linkt to highlight any discrepancies.

One of the major differences in French STIR/SHAKEN is the existence of the MAN Platform: Centralized servers supporting the Policy Administrator, Certificate Authority, and Certificate Repository functions. Not only that, but it also collects statistics on blocked calls—because yes, in France, unauthenticated calls and calls that fail verification get blocked!—and statistics on the total number of calls with attestation levels A, B, and C, among others.

NexOSS is integrated with the MAN Platform and it collects the call statistics which must be reported.

Implementation Process

The implementation was characterized by strategic collaboration and technical precision:

• Leveraged Linkt’s knowledge of the Metaswitch voice-switching infrastructure
• Deployed a geo-redundant, high-availability NexOSS system
• Established both production and lab environments for thorough testing
• Integrated NexOSS as a redirect server within the call flow between Linkt’s network and the French PSTN

The interface between Linkt’s network and NexOSS uses standard SIP (see Figure 1).

Outbound Calls

Figure 1. Outbound Calls Using NEXOSS STIR/SHAKEN in France

An outbound call requiring a certain treatment, like SHAKEN authentication, for example, is first sent to NexOSS before being sent to the PSTN. NexOSS returns standard SIP responses. It can integrate with virtually any SIP network infrastructure/vendor.

This was important for Fabien Delavier, Voice Architect, at Linkt.

“Not only do I benefit from the experience of TransNexus as an industry leader for STIR/SHAKEN, but I also now have a platform I can leverage for other purposes such as fraud prevention and least-cost routing without making a single change in our voice network.”

The deployment was notably smooth, thanks to the Linkt team’s technical prowess and proactive approach.

Results

Quantitative Outcomes

• Successfully met the French regulatory deadline
• Implemented a comprehensive compliance solution within the required timeframe

Qualitative Benefits

Linkt experienced multiple strategic advantages:

• Feature-Rich Solution: NexOSS exceeded STIR/SHAKEN requirements
• Infrastructure Compatibility: Seamless integration with existing Metaswitch infrastructure
• Operational Flexibility: Ability to activate new features with minimal network configuration changes
• Security Assurance: Preferred on-premises solution addressing critical security concerns
• Cost-Effectiveness: Attractive pricing model with usage-based invoicing

Future Plans

Linkt is positioned to:

• Continue leveraging NexOSS for advanced telecommunications features
• Explore additional fraud prevention and least-cost routing capabilities
• Maintain a proactive approach to regulatory compliance and network innovation.

Call to Action

Global telecommunications providers are facing increasingly complex regulatory challenges, and the example of TransNexus and Linkt complying with the French STIR/SHAKEN legislation shows how vital a good partnership is. If creating a relationship with a business that genuinely has your goals at the top of its mind is important, then TransNexus is for you. Let’s embark on a partnership journey to transform compliance requirements into opportunities for innovation, security, and operational excellence.

Contact TransNexus today to future-proof your telecommunications infrastructure.

TransNexus solutions

TransNexus is a leader in developing innovative software to manage and protect telecommunications networks. The company has over 25 years of experience in providing telecom software solutions including branded calling, toll fraud prevention, robocall mitigation and prevention, TDoS prevention, analytics, routing, billing support, STIR/SHAKEN and SHAKEN certificate services.

Contact us today to learn more.