Earlier today, T-Mobile revealed a new milestone they have accomplished when it comes to protecting its customers against scammers. The Un-Carrier has achieved this by making Caller ID even more trustworthy. 

Of course, this is all thanks to the technology companies and voice service providers that T-Mobile has partnered with. These include the likes of CTIA, Everbridge, First Orion, iconectiv, NetNumber, Numeracle, and Twilio. Through the partnership, T-Mobile has completed its first ever wireless call combined with authenticated Caller ID and Rich Call Data (RCD). The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) STIR/SHAKEN framework and protocols are also in place. 

“The ability to deliver RCD to mobile devices is a key tool in the battle against scammers as it increases consumer trust in knowing who is calling them and why,” T-Mobile CTO Abdul Saad said. “This proof-of-concept shows that by working together as an industry we can make sure that legal, critical, and wanted calls are delivered with a high level of consumer confidence.”

With the recent reports suggesting that customers are set to receive over 52 million robocalls this year, this new milestone of T-Mobile’s can definitely put a stop to that. This is why 80% of Americans say they don’t answer calls from an unknown number. But then again, this lets them skip important phone calls from their banks, kid’s schools, or any other legitimate establishment. With RCD, this gets addressed. 

Instead of displaying an unknown number, RCD lets you see a recognizable display on your Caller ID. In some cases, you’ll even see a brand’s logo so that you know the call is from a trusted source. RCD can help customers stay away from spam and scammers. 

The main difference between RCD and traditional Caller ID is that the latter gets pulled from third-party databases by the receiving end of the call. On the other hand, RCD gets delivered directly from the organization making the call. And with the help of the STIR/SHAKEN framework, the network has to authenticate the information before it can be displayed. 

“Imagine a future where all phone calls will be delivered with RCD providing complete transparency and protection in every call for every consumer, enhancing the way businesses connect with their customers,” First Orion President and Founder Jeff Stalnaker said. “Working with T-Mobile and other industry leaders to deliver this first-ever mobile call with RCD and authenticated Caller ID is an important step in making Enhanced Caller Identity a reality.”

Source: T-Mobile