Insights

Trust in Telecom: Bridging the Gap

Apr 22, 2024

Telecommunications, with its roots tracing back to 1876, holds a storied history marked by pivotal milestones — such as Alexander Graham Bell's groundbreaking first words spoken over a telephone the installation of the first telephone in the White House just two years later. Throughout these advances and more, our journey has been marked by both progress and challenges.

Today, one of the pressing issues that face our industry is the erosion of trust in phone calls and messages. Gone are the days when picking up a ringing phone was a straightforward act. Instead, we find ourselves intentionally filtering out unidentified calls and fearing the possibility of answering a nefarious one. How did we arrive at this juncture?

Many would point to the proliferation of robocalls as the cause of this predicament. Initially heralded for their efficiency in disseminating information, these automated systems soon fell prey to exploitation by malicious entities. What followed were fraudulent calls impersonating reputable brands that preyed on unsuspecting individuals. The inevitable consequence? A decline in consumer trust and an epidemic of call avoidance.

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the telecom industry stands at a pivotal crossroads once again. The solution? A comprehensive framework that ensures the seamless delivery of legitimate calls, while swiftly identifying and thwarting fraudulent ones.

STIR/SHAKEN is a pioneering initiative designed to authenticate the origin of each call traversing the telecommunications network – but there is still work that needs to be done. To truly fortify the ecosystem, we must delve deeper into the call path, beginning with the moment a call is initiated.

Picture this: Every call is stamped with a cryptographic seal directly by the originating party. This cryptographic seal is then validated and endorsed by the carrier and serves as a testament to the call's authenticity before it reaches its intended recipient. And image consumers are happy to answer their phones again, with the confidence that they know who is calling them and that a caller’s identity has been verified.

Now imagine a scenario where calls lacking proper documentation are intercepted and prevented from reaching the end user — a testament to the effectiveness of a clear and defined framework that instills confidence in communication. This is the vision we aspire to realize, and at Somos, we're prepared to lead the charge. Together, let's embark on a journey towards a telecommunications landscape defined by trust, transparency and reliability. With concerted effort, we can bridge the gap and usher in a new era of trusted communications.