VoIP for Independent Telecoms

For more information on some of the topics, check out the links below:
- TrueCNAM: https://truecnam.com/ - you're welcome to contact their team to query your score.
- More info about legal vs illegal robocalls (although remember that the reputation is based on whether calls are unwanted, not whether they're illegal).
- The FCC Fourth Report and Order on robocalling says "We require that all originating voice service providers know their customers and exercise due diligence in ensuring that their services are not used to originate illegal traffic."
- FreeCallerRegistry is a collaboration between several reputation providers (representing the major wireless carriers) where you can register a business and try to improve your reputation score.
- Jolly Roger Telephone is taking the fight back to the scammers.

In our discussion, Austin Spreadbury (the Microsoft Program Manager responsible for Robocall solutions) and I take a look at the new ATIS specifications covering some options for using STIR/SHAKEN for calls passing over TDM networks. We also discuss how the STIR/SHAKEN roll-out has been going so far, and speculate about what the future holds.

You can read more about the items we discussed at the following links:
- Austin and I previous chatted back in February 2021, and you can watch that video here.
- ATIS 1000095, Extending STIR/SHAKEN over TDM
- ATIS-1000096, SHAKEN Out-of-Band PASSporT Transmission Involving TDM Networks
- ATIS-1000097, Technical Report on Alternatives for Call Authentication for Non-IP Traffic
- My written review of the above specs: here and here
- YouMail Robocall Index (stats on robocall volumes)
- TransNexus stats on calls with STIR/SHAKEN certificates

You can read more about Metaswitch's solutions for robocall blocking and STIR/SHAKEN on their website.

For more information about PRTC and this story, check out the following:
- The Race: TV show
- The One Traffic Light Town with some of the Fastest Internet in the US: New Yorker article
- Wikipedia article about Roberto Clemente

Marc and I discuss a variety of topics, including:
 - his time working with me at Metaswitch, where he was the first Sales Engineer
 - how American Idol was an early form of DDOS attack
 - how network operators can identify and respond to DDOS attacks
 - the importance of network monitoring and observability, and how Kentik can help.

Links:
https://www.kentik.com/

In this episode I talk to Jim Olsen from Microchip about network synchronization. What is clocking, why does it matter in TDM networks and why will it continue to be important in the future? You'll learn how timing works for TDM, and what happens when a GPS source is lost; we'll explore what comes after BITS; and we'll discuss how clocking is important for 5G networks.

If you're responsible for a TDM network check out this episode to learn more about this critical (but often overlooked) piece of infrastructure.

In this episode I talk to Roy Martindale, CTO of USA Digital about life as an IXC. We cover the services provided in a class 4 network, how STIR/SHAKEN impacts an intermediate carrier, how least-cost routing works, and the benefits that come when offering a combination of both class 4 and class 5 services - including a new UCaaS offering.

In this self-indulgent episode, Andrew talks with Stephen Denny, the first consultant to join my team at Award Consulting, about our story so far. How did Andrew come to start consulting as a freelancer, why did he hire Stephen, and what has happened to the business since then.

In particular we'll discuss:
 - Andrew's decision to leave Metaswitch without a plan
 - the debt we owe to the Metaswitch account managers and others who introduced us to our early clients
 - the industry change that put the whole business in jeopardy, and led to Andrew hiring Stephen
 - the challenges of being an introvert responsible for sales
 - how we've eventually seen the team grow from 1 to 5 people.

Useful links:

• Cavell Group: https://cavellgroup.com/
• Cloud Comms Summit: https://cavellgroup.com/events/ccs-us/
• Cloud Comms Alliance: https://www.cloudcommunications.com/

In this episode, we mention:
Northland Communications: https://www.northland.net/
Entrepreneurial Operating System: https://www.eosworldwide.com/
Get a Grip (book): https://www.amazon.com/Get-Grip-Entrepreneurial-Journey-Results-ebook/dp/B009K44DQY