GATINEAU — The CRTC announced today it has agreed to a nine-month extension of the deadline for the implementation of the STIR/SHAKEN framework for authenticating caller ID information for IP-based voice calls. The implementation deadline is now June 30, 2021.
STIR/SHAKEN stands for Secure Telephony Identity Revisited/Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs. The framework provides a suite of protocols and procedures intended to combat fraudulent caller ID spoofing by authenticating and verifying the caller ID information. It’s something upon which the federal government is focused.
In December 2019, the Commission mandated Canadian telecommunications service providers (TSPs) implement the security framework by September 30, 2020.
On June 29, 2020, Rogers Communications sent a letter to the Commission, asking for the launch date to be postponed by nine months. Rogers cited a number of reasons for the postponement request, including: the reallocation of resources during the Covid-19 crisis; the need to renegotiate contracts with vendors and contractors and to reacquire financial capital for implementing STIR/SHAKEN after the Covid-19 disruption; the lack of VoIP interconnections between certain TSPs; and the fact that some technical standards relating to STIR/SHAKEN are not yet fully defined. Rogers also pointed out in its letter that the STIR/SHAKEN implementation date in the United States is June 30, 2021.
Quebecor Media (Videotron) and Shaw Communications filed letters supporting Rogers’ request for an extension. In addition, the Independent Telecommunications Providers Association (ITPA) supported Rogers’ request, but also asked the Commission to consider whether a nine-month extension is sufficient for all TSPs, especially small ones such as ITPA members.
In its new compliance and enforcement decision regarding the implementation of the STIR/SHAKEN framework, the Commission has approved Rogers’s request to extend the deadline by nine months until June 30, 2021. The deadline extension applies to all TSPs.
In addition, the TSPs are required to submit to the CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC) by January 4, 2021, reports on their efforts and progress in implementing STIR/SHAKEN.
