ClearIP Out-of-Band SHAKEN enhancements

More Than 30 Voice Service Providers Using Out-of-Band SHAKEN to Authenticate Calls

ATLANTA, Georgia, February 17, 2021 — TransNexus today announced widespread use of recent enhancements to STIR/SHAKEN functionality in its ClearIP software platform. These enhancements have enabled more than 30 voice service providers to use STIR/SHAKEN call authentication on calls that cross a non-IP network segment.

Out-of-Band SHAKEN API updates

ClearIP has been updated to use the new Out-of-Band SHAKEN API defined by the ATIS Non-IP Call Authentication Task Force within the ATIS Packet Technologies and Systems Committee (PTSC).

Out-of-Band SHAKEN is an extension of the STIR/SHAKEN framework that allows PASSporTs to be sent separately, out-of-band, across the internet. This is useful for calls that have a non-IP network segment somewhere along the call path, a situation that would otherwise cause the SIP message, and the PASSporT contained within, to be lost.

The new PTSC Out-of-Band SHAKEN API defines three simple API interfaces that accept requests and issue responses in HTTP format:

1. Check Health
2. Publish PASSporT
3. Retrieve PASSporT

The following image describes an illustrative call scenario in which Out-of-Band SHAKEN enables successful call authentication.

Out-of-Band SHAKEN call scenario

A service provider putting a signed call on a non-IP network can publish the PASSporT to a Call Placement Service (STI-CPS) network. A service provider receiving a signed call from a non-IP network can check the CPS to see if a PASSporT was sent for this call. If so, the provider can retrieve the passport and put it in the SIP INVITE for transmission to a SIP network.

Unlike previous versions of Out-of-Band SHAKEN, the latest version does not require any involvement by voice service providers that use an all-IP network and interconnections. They can continue to use SHAKEN PASSporTs contained in SIP messages per the standards. With the latest version, Out-of-Band SHAKEN is used only when a signed call crosses a non-IP boundary.

ClearIP fully supports the STIR/SHAKEN framework described in the ATIS-1000074, ATIS-1000080, and ATIS-1000084 standards documents. Out-of-Band SHAKEN builds upon these standards, and its use is optional. A voice service provider can use ClearIP to perform standard STIR/SHAKEN on some calls and Out-of-Band SHAKEN on others as needed.

TransNexus solutions

We offer STIR/SHAKEN and robocall prevention solutions in our ClearIP and NexOSS software platforms.

In addition, we help service providers with all aspects of STIR/SHAKEN deployment, including registering with the Policy Administrator and filing their Robocall Mitigation certification with the FCC.

Contact us today to learn more.