A phone can tell a customer who is calling before they answer - but increasingly that is not enough. Customers want confidence that the identity presented by the network is legitimate and that answering the call will not expose them to fraud or unwanted communication.
This is changing the role of Caller authentication.
What was once primarily a telecom security and regulatory concern is becoming part of the customer experience. Consumers are learning to distinguish between recognized communications and unidentified or suspicious calls. Businesses are simultaneously discovering that even legitimate calls can be ignored when recipients cannot determine who is behind them.
Recent research illustrates the scale of the problem. Hiya's 2026 State of the Call research found that 86% of unidentified calls go unanswered while only 14% of consumers immediately answer calls from numbers they do not recognize. The research surveyed more than 12,000 consumers across six countries. (Hiya Blog)
For telecom providers the implication is significant.
Authentication is no longer simply about stopping spoofing. It is increasingly about helping create a voice environment that customers can trust.
The Customer Relationship With Voice Has Changed
Caller ID Used to Be Enough
When caller ID became widely available it changed the telephone experience.
Before answering a call people often had little information about who was calling. A displayed number gave recipients a basic decision-making signal.
But the communications environment has changed dramatically since then.
Consumers now encounter:
Spam calls
Robocalls
Caller ID spoofing
Impersonation attempts
AI-generated voice scams
Unwanted marketing calls
As a result the presence of a telephone number alone does not necessarily create confidence.
Hiya's 2025 research found that 48% of consumers never answer unidentified calls while another 32% only sometimes answer them. That means legitimate businesses can struggle to reach customers simply because their calls arrive without enough trusted identity context. (Hiya Blog)
The First Ring Has Become a Trust Decision
Consider two incoming calls.
Call A: an unfamiliar number with no additional context.
Call B: an authenticated business identity that the recipient recognizes.
The underlying network may deliver both calls perfectly.
The customer experience is completely different.
The recipient is effectively asking:
"Do I have enough evidence to answer?"
Caller authentication can contribute to that evidence.
Caller Authentication Connects Network Security With Customer Trust
Authentication Proves More Than a Displayed Number
STIR/SHAKEN provides a technical framework for authenticating caller ID information using public-key cryptography.
The originating provider creates authenticated information associated with the call. A terminating provider can then validate the cryptographic evidence and evaluate the caller identity information.
The FCC describes STIR/SHAKEN as a framework with two major components: the technical process for authenticating and verifying caller ID information and the certificate governance process that maintains trust in the authentication information accompanying the call. (FCC Docs)
The basic architecture can be visualized as:
Caller → Authentication → Digital Signature → Certificate → Verification → Trust Signal
This changes the fundamental question from:
"What number is being displayed?"
to:
"Can the network verify the identity associated with this number?"
Attestation Adds Context
STIR/SHAKEN also uses attestation levels to communicate the originating provider's level of confidence in the caller and its relationship with the telephone number.
For example AWS describes:
A-level: caller identity and authorization to use the number are verified
B-level: caller identity is known but authorization to use the number cannot be fully verified
C-level: the provider is acting as a gateway and cannot verify the caller and number relationship (AWS Documentation)
That distinction matters because authentication is not simply a yes-or-no concept.
It can provide additional context for downstream networks.
Customers Are Beginning to Expect More From Caller Identity
Trust Is Becoming Part of the User Experience
Consumers have become accustomed to identity-rich digital experiences.
When someone receives an email they may see the sender name.
When someone uses an online banking application they see the institution's identity.
When someone visits a website they expect recognizable branding and security indicators.
The telephone is increasingly expected to provide a similar level of context.
Hiya's 2026 research found that 73% of consumers agree that businesses should identify themselves with caller ID. The same research found that only 14% immediately answer unidentified calls.
That is a meaningful shift.
From "Who Is Calling?" to "Can I Trust This Caller?"
The traditional caller ID experience answers only part of the question.
A customer sees a number.
But a number can be unfamiliar.
A name can potentially be spoofed.
A business identity can be impersonated.
Authentication adds another layer by giving the network cryptographic evidence about the origin and identity of the communication.
This does not mean authentication guarantees that every call is desirable.
It means the network can provide stronger evidence than an unverified number alone.
Voice Is Still Important
The rise of messaging has not eliminated the importance of voice.
Hiya's 2025 research found that voice remains an important communication channel for high-value interactions. For healthcare specifically, 42% of surveyed consumers preferred voice in 2025 compared with 33% in 2024.
This creates an interesting paradox.
Customers still value voice.
But they are becoming more selective about which calls they answer.
Caller authentication therefore becomes part of the infrastructure needed to keep voice commercially useful.
Untrusted Calls Create a Business Problem for Legitimate Providers
The Cost Is Not Limited to Fraud
Caller authentication is often discussed in terms of protecting customers from scammers.
That is only one side of the equation.
Legitimate businesses can also lose value when customers stop answering their calls.
Consider a healthcare provider calling about an appointment.
A financial institution calling about a suspicious transaction.
An insurer following up on a claim.
A logistics company calling about a delivery.
The customer may genuinely want the call.
But if the call arrives as an unidentified number the customer may ignore it.
Missed Calls Become Missed Business
Hiya's 2025 research reported that 80% of unidentified calls are unlikely to be answered, based on respondents who said they never or only sometimes answer unidentified calls. (Hiya Blog)
That creates a simple commercial equation:
Unidentified call → lower confidence → lower answer probability → fewer conversations
And fewer conversations can affect:
Customer service
Sales
Appointment completion
Fraud prevention
Collections
Delivery coordination
Customer retention
Trust Can Improve the First Interaction
Authentication is not the same thing as branded caller ID.
Branded calling can provide customer-facing identity information while STIR/SHAKEN provides network-level authentication evidence.
These capabilities can complement each other.
Think of it like a physical business.
The sign outside the building tells you who the organization claims to be.
The security system provides evidence that the building and access process are legitimate.
Customers benefit when both experiences align.
Caller Authentication Is Becoming a Network-Wide Responsibility
Trust Cannot Stop at the Originating Carrier
A call rarely stays inside one network.
A typical enterprise communication could travel through:
Enterprise PBX → VoIP Provider → Transit Carrier → Intermediate Provider → Mobile Operator → Customer
Each stage can affect the identity information associated with the communication.
This makes caller authentication a shared ecosystem responsibility.
STIR/SHAKEN Creates a Chain of Trust
The FCC explains that the STIR/SHAKEN framework uses authenticated caller ID information that can travel through the call path while its certificate governance process maintains trust in that information. (FCC Docs)
That means providers need to think beyond their own network boundary.
The originating provider needs to authenticate appropriately.
Intermediate providers need to preserve the relevant information.
Terminating providers need to verify it.
Certificate infrastructure needs to remain available.
Network Gaps Can Weaken Customer Confidence
STIR/SHAKEN primarily operates on IP networks.
Where calls traverse non-IP segments the authentication information may not survive in the same way.
That creates a practical challenge for carriers transitioning between legacy and modern infrastructure.
The customer does not care which network technology carried the call.
They simply see:
Unknown caller
or
Trusted identity
That is why authentication needs to be treated as an end-to-end ecosystem problem.
Certificate Infrastructure Is Critical to Customer-Facing Trust
Digital Certificates Support the Authentication Chain
Caller authentication depends on more than a signing function.
It depends on the certificate infrastructure that allows another provider to validate the signature.
The certificate connects the public key with the identity and authority of the service provider.
If that certificate expires or becomes inaccessible the authentication chain can be affected.
This makes certificate lifecycle management a customer-experience issue as well as an engineering issue.
Expiration Is a Predictable Risk
Certificates have defined lifecycles.
Providers therefore know that renewal will eventually be required.
The problem occurs when the process depends heavily on manual intervention.
A missed renewal can create avoidable operational disruption.
Peeringhub provides STIR/SHAKEN certificate enrollment, certificate generation and rotation capabilities alongside API-driven lifecycle management. Its platform supports certificate issue, renewal and revocation through its ACME API. (Peering Hub)
Automation Helps Maintain Continuity
Peeringhub's ACME service follows RFC 8555 and supports standards-based certificate issuance. Its API documentation describes workflows for integrating certificate generation into provider systems. (PeeringHub Docs)
The operational sequence can become:
Monitor → Request → Issue → Deploy → Validate → Renew
rather than:
Remember → Manually request → Manually deploy → Hope nothing was missed
For carriers operating at scale that difference matters.
Better Authentication Needs Better Visibility and Integration
Engineers Need to Understand Why Trust Succeeds or Fails
Customer trust can be affected by technical problems that are invisible to the recipient.
An authentication issue might originate from:
An invalid Identity Header
An expired certificate
An inaccessible certificate URL
A failed signature
Incorrect attestation
Provider identity mismatch
Without inspection tools an engineering team may simply see an authentication failure.
Peeringhub provides an Identity Header Parser that can decode PASSporT information including attestation, origination, destination, x5u, algorithm and signature status. It also provides a Certificate Inspector that can review issuer, subject, location, validity dates and OCN context. (Peering Hub)
Visibility Creates a Faster Diagnostic Path
A structured investigation can follow:
Call → Identity Header → PASSporT → Certificate → Provider identity → Verification
That is significantly more actionable than troubleshooting from a generic failure alert.
APIs Turn Authentication Into Infrastructure
Peeringhub provides two API paths for STIR/SHAKEN teams.
The Public API supports functions such as Identity Header validation, certificate inspection, STI-CR hosting and OCN lookup.
The ACME API supports certificate issue, renewal and revocation for automated lifecycle management. (Peering Hub)
This means authentication operations can connect with:
SBCs
Provisioning systems
Monitoring
Customer platforms
Certificate workflows
Internal automation
The result is a trust layer that can become part of the network rather than another isolated tool.
Comparing Caller Authentication Approaches
Peeringhub: Certificate and Identity Infrastructure
Peeringhub focuses on the infrastructure supporting trusted voice identity.
Its STIR/SHAKEN CA platform provides certificate enrollment, delegated signing, attestation controls and developer automation. It also provides Identity Header parsing, certificate inspection, STI-CR hosting and OCN lookup. (Peering Hub)
Its platform supports browser-based workflows, Python tooling and ACME API integration. (Peering Hub)
This approach can be particularly relevant for providers that already operate their own voice infrastructure and need a dedicated trust layer.
Ribbon: Broader Call Trust
Ribbon takes a wider identity assurance approach.
Its STIR/SHAKEN solution covers authentication, signing, verification and certificate management while its broader Call Trust portfolio includes reputation and call-treatment capabilities. (FCC Docs)
That approach can be useful for providers looking beyond authentication toward broader call reputation and policy decisions.
TransNexus: Authentication and Verification
TransNexus also provides STIR/SHAKEN authentication and verification capabilities alongside certificate management and call validation functions.
The architectural difference is therefore important.
A provider might need:
Certificate and identity infrastructure
or:
A broader authentication and verification platform
or:
Authentication combined with reputation and call treatment
The right model depends on the provider's existing infrastructure and the level of control it wants over the trust stack.
How Telecom Providers Can Turn Authentication Into a Customer Experience Advantage
1. Authenticate Legitimate Caller Identity
Establish accurate relationships between customers, telephone numbers and originating providers.
2. Apply Attestation Based on Verified Information
Do not treat attestation as a cosmetic label.
It should accurately represent the provider's knowledge and authority.
The FCC has emphasized that false or incorrect attestations undermine the integrity of STIR/SHAKEN and can reduce consumer trust. (FCC Docs)
3. Maintain Certificate Health
Monitor:
Expiration
Revocation
Deployment
Certificate accessibility
Repository status
4. Make Verification Evidence Accessible
Public certificate information needs to remain available to providers performing verification.
Peeringhub provides STI-CR hosting that can create public certificate URLs for use in STIR/SHAKEN workflows. (Peering Hub)
5. Combine Authentication With Customer-Facing Identity
Network authentication can establish technical trust.
Branded caller identity can provide customer-facing context.
Together they address two different questions:
Can the network verify the caller?
Can the customer understand who is calling?
6. Add Reputation and Behavioral Signals
Authentication should be treated as one important trust signal rather than a complete fraud verdict.
7. Measure the Customer Impact
Providers should monitor metrics such as:
Answer rates
Spam labeling
Authentication failures
Call completion
Complaint rates
Customer engagement
Trust should ultimately be measured not only by whether the certificate is valid but by whether legitimate communications become easier to recognize and answer.
The Future of Caller Authentication Is Customer-Centric
The telecom industry is moving toward a more interesting definition of authentication.
Historically the question was:
"Can we technically authenticate this call?"
Increasingly the question is:
"Can authentication help create a voice experience that customers trust?"
That shift matters.
The customer does not see the PASSporT.
They do not see the certificate chain.
They do not care which provider issued the credential.
They experience the outcome.
They see a call.
They decide whether to answer.
And that decision increasingly depends on whether the communication feels trustworthy.
Hiya's 2026 research found that 34% of consumers said their overall trust in phone calls had decreased while only 16% said it had increased. (Hiya Blog)
That is the larger business challenge.
The technology behind trusted calling has to work well enough that customers can feel the difference.
Conclusion: Caller Authentication Is Becoming Part of the Customer Promise
Caller authentication started as a technical response to caller ID spoofing.
It is becoming something broader.
It is becoming part of the infrastructure that allows customers to decide whether a voice communication deserves their attention.
The numbers make the challenge difficult to ignore.
Hiya's 2026 research found that 86% of unidentified calls go unanswered and that 73% of consumers believe businesses should identify themselves through caller ID. (Hiya Blog)
At the same time voice remains important for high-value interactions across industries such as healthcare and finance. (Hiya Blog)
This creates a clear opportunity for telecom providers.
Authentication can help protect customers from spoofing.
Certificate infrastructure can support the underlying trust chain.
Identity validation can give networks better evidence.
Reputation can add context.
Customer-facing identity can make legitimate businesses easier to recognize.
Together these capabilities can help rebuild confidence in the voice channel.
Peeringhub provides a focused trust infrastructure for this environment through STIR/SHAKEN certificate enrollment, delegated signing, attestation controls, Identity Header parsing, certificate inspection, STI-CR hosting, OCN lookup and API-driven certificate lifecycle management. (Peering Hub)
The broader lesson is straightforward:
Caller authentication is no longer only about proving identity to the network. It is increasingly about giving customers a reason to trust the call.
For carriers and communications providers the opportunity is to make authentication part of the customer experience rather than treating it as a backend compliance requirement.
Build trust into every call
Explore Peeringhub's STIR/SHAKEN trust infrastructure to strengthen certificate management, caller identity validation and automated trust operations for modern voice networks.
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