Whose responsibility is STIR/SHAKEN?

STIR/SHAKEN is the responsibility of telecommunications service providers. Carriers are required to deploy and operate the technical infrastructure that authenticates calls and applies attestation as calls originate on their networks.

Enterprises do not implement STIR/SHAKEN themselves and cannot directly sign calls.

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Why Service Providers Own STIR/SHAKEN Implementation

STIR/SHAKEN is a network-level call authentication framework. Only service providers have the ability to cryptographically sign calls, assign attestation, and exchange authentication information with other networks. This means carriers are responsible for meeting regulatory deadlines, maintaining compliance, and ensuring their systems correctly authenticate outbound calls.

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Why Enterprises Still Need to Pay Attention

Although carriers handle implementation, enterprise call outcomes are directly affected by how STIR/SHAKEN is applied in practice. Provider readiness, compliance status, and operational decisions all influence whether calls are authenticated and how they are treated downstream.

Factors that matter to enterprises include whether a provider met implementation deadlines or filed extensions, how attestation decisions are made for enterprise traffic, and how identity and number authorization are handled within the provider’s network. Staying informed about a provider’s STIR/SHAKEN posture helps enterprises understand potential risks to call delivery and labeling.

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Policy & Industry Changes Still Matter

STIR/SHAKEN policies, enforcement practices, and operational standards continue to evolve. As regulators and industry groups refine expectations, how calls are authenticated and interpreted may change over time. Enterprises benefit from staying engaged in industry discussions and providing input on policies that affect call treatment, even though they are not responsible for implementation.

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Be Cautious of Guarantees

Enterprises should be cautious of vendors or solutions that claim to guarantee STIR/SHAKEN outcomes, including promises of enterprise call signing or assured attestation levels. Because STIR/SHAKEN depends on multiple variables and provider-specific decisions, no solution can predict outcomes with complete certainty.

While enterprises do not implement STIR/SHAKEN, they still need transparency and accountability across their provider ecosystem. Understanding how identity, number authorization, and reputation are managed helps reduce risk and avoid misleading claims.

Numeracle supports enterprises and service providers with solutions that improve identity accountability and trust alongside STIR/SHAKEN, helping ensure authenticated calls are not undermined by downstream issues.