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Currently, of calls are left unanswered when the call comes from an unidentified or unfamiliar number, which means that we are no longer answering many of the calls we want from schools, doctors, business associates and others because we fear that it’s a fake call. If they leave a message, we will return the call. This has become the “new normal,” which is wrought with inefficiencies and frustration for consumers and businesses and is compromising the way we communicate.

The situation was exasperated with the many advances in VoIP technology, which now allow a massive number of phone calls to be initiated very cheaply and where the calling party can select what appears on the caller ID. These tactics resulted in the exponential growth of illegal spam and scam calls, which reached globally in 2018 – a 325% jump from 2017.

The SHAKEN () framework is an industry initiative that will help reduce illegal robocalls and ensure that consumers have the information they need to make an informed decision whether to answer a call.

“This is a critical building block in keeping the integrity of the phone number and we are energized to be part of this collaborative initiative that puts the value of phone calls back in the hands of Americans,” said Richard Jacowleff, President and CEO, iconectiv. “With this FCC-endorsed, industry-led initiative, service providers will be able to more readily confirm legitimate calls and trace and block illegitimate ones so that consumers can, once again, enjoy answering calls with confidence.”

“Illegal robocalls plague countries the world over and numerous eyes are on the U.S. as a first mover,” Jacowleff added. “We look forward to being part of the team that is demonstrating the effectiveness of this solution so that other nations can bring similar relief to their citizens.”

* VoIP relies on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), one of the most common protocols used in VoIP technology