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Attestation Cippy

A Question Asked At Training Results In a Unique Attestation Service

Blog by Michael Dunham
Michael Dunham

A question about attestation came up in a recent Training for FreePBX® Class at our office. The question was pretty simple; “Is there a simple way to check our Attestation grade?”. That question was asked on the first day of training on Monday. By Thursday, our engineers had created a simple solution for the question.

First, let’s clarify the word Attestation. It’s not pronounced like “Atta-Boy”; if we break it down, it’s easier. Attest-ation, to attest to something.

  1. The definition of attestation is the act of showing or evidence showing that something is true. A letter of recommendation is an example of an attestation. noun.
  2. The act of authenticating a document by observing its execution at the request of the party signing the document and then signing it as a witness.
    3. So now that we know what Attestation is, why is it important? For that, we need to discuss STIR/SHAKEN.

    According to the FCC’s website STIR/SHAKEN is defined as the following: 
     

    STIR/SHAKEN is a framework of interconnected standards. STIR/SHAKEN are acronyms for the Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) and Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs (SHAKEN) standards. This means that calls traveling through interconnected phone networks would have their caller ID “signed” as legitimate by originating carriers and validated by other carriers before reaching consumers. STIR/SHAKEN digitally validates the handoff of phone calls passing through the complex web of networks, allowing the phone company of the consumer receiving the call to verify that a call is, in fact, from the number displayed on Caller ID.

    attestation

    STIR/SHAKEN is why attestation is important. Your phone carrier is attesting that, to the best of its knowledge, calls from your phone number are indeed coming from you. Numbers are given a rating:

    • A: Full Attestation – The number being dialed from has been authenticated by the service provider, and the caller has been authorized to use that number.
    • B: Partial Attestation – The service provider has verified that the call has originated from the customer but not that they are authorized to use it.
    • C: Gateway Attestation – The service provider can authenticate the origin of the call, but its source is not verified. International calls often receive this rating.

    Now that you’re familiar with STIR/SHAKEN and ATTESTATION, you might be wondering, “How do I tell what rating my phone number has.” great question!

    Several services will allow you to check phone numbers and get their Attestation rating; however, many of them charge fees for the service or require sharing a lot of your personal information.

    ClearlyIP’s Attestation service is simple and free, and the only information collected is the phone number you are calling from. Simply dial 1 (920) 666-1392 from the number you want to get the Attestation grade. That’s it. No additional input is required.

    When you dial the number, you get a message thanking you for using the ClearlyIP Attestation Service. Your phone number is read back to you; you are then told the service provider, the Attestation rating for the number, and the Service Provider Code.

    Sometimes, a simple question results in an easier way to do things, so never be afraid to ask. I know that we’re glad our student asked that question!