2023 Recap of Sessions
Main Stage Sessions
CEO Opening Keynote
Somos CEO Gina Perini kicks off Summit with a strategic perspective on how the telecom industry can ensure greater identity to protect consumers, businesses and service providers from ongoing fraud. Gina will unpack this year’s theme “The Future of Identity” and introduce the need for a universal framework to authenticate the identity of every caller and validate their right use a phone number. It’s time for the industry to build on the foundation of STIR/SHAKEN and together complete the mission of restoring trust in telecom.
Identity Unmasked: The Unexpected Ways that Telecom Data Empowers FBI Investigations
Delve into the world of investigations and security as well as discover how the unique partnership between the telecom industry and the FBI plays a role in discovery. See firsthand how harnessing the power of telecom-specific data can play a pivotal role in solving complex cases. During this session, Chad Fitzgerald of the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) will decode examples of when telecom data was instrumental to tracking down suspects, uncovering illicit networks and preventing potential threats. Through various insights, strategies and real-life examples, attendees will gain a full understanding of how telecom data can support investigations and safeguard communities.
Special Remarks from Senator Edward Markey
What’s Happening Today, Tomorrow and Into the Future: An Update from the Bureau Chiefs
2023 has truly been a transformative year for fraud prevention and mitigation. From the expansion of STIR/SHAKEN to new mandates around Do Not Originate (DNO) lists, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s recent enforcement actions against robocallers, spoofers, Toll-Free traffic pumpers and other bad actors has provided a major win for consumers. Join moderator Joel Bernstein, VP, Regulatory and Public Policy, at Somos and the Bureau Chiefs from the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WCB), Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB), and Enforcement Bureau (EB). During this exciting session, attendees will get a unique opportunity to hear directly from the FCC's bureaus on the latest rules and initiatives that are shaping the future of fraud prevention and telecom.
The Intersection of Trust and Confidence – Building a Framework for a Fraud Free Future
The roll-out of the STIR/SHAKEN framework and standards provided a great foundation for mitigating and preventing fraud on our telephone networks. It has been just that though, a FOUNDATION. With the implementation of STIR/SHAKEN protocols near complete, now is the perfect time to improve upon the framework and add the functionality needed to eliminate fraudulent calls altogether. As easy as this may sound in theory, the reality is that there are several barriers standing in our path to success. Chief among these are a lack of consistency in achieving trust and providing timely, useful feedback that can help better enforce commonly agreed upon industry guidelines. Join Sri Ramachandran, SVP and Chief Technology Officer, at Somos, and a panel of leading telecom authorities, including Chris Wendt, VP of Systems Engineering at Somos, as they discuss what can – and needs to – be done to restore trust in telecom. During this session, they’ll provide perspective on why it’s so critical that this effort be collaborative. From enterprises to service providers to consumers, there are multiple players and moving parts involved in the call journey and it’s up to us to work together to create positive experiences founded in trust, confidence and security.
From Fraud to Fidelity to the Future: How Business Messaging is Shaping Customer Communications
Thanks to the expansion of STIR/SHAKEN as well as solutions such as do not originate (DNO) lists, it’s become more and more difficult for fraudsters to leverage voice calls to carry-out their nefarious campaigns. Unfortunately, however, this has led scammers to increasingly turn to SMS as their preferred channel for fraudulent activities. Even more concerning, robotexting isn’t an exclusively localized problem – consumers all around the world are becoming more and more susceptible to text messaging fraud. Join Dave Stewart, SVP & Chief Business Development Officer, at Somos, and a panel of business messaging authorities as they discuss how the surge in robotexting has prompted new rules and regulations. From how recent mandates are affecting the telecom ecosystem to how to leverage business messaging to effectively communicate with customers (i.e., while simultaneously suppressing SPAM and fraudulent messages), this session will help attendees enhance their business messaging knowledge base, gain insight into upcoming changes in policy plus strategize for future success in this dynamic domain.
PART ONE: Future-Focused Innovation – Supercharging Solutions, Championing Collaboration and Building a Blueprint for Telecom
Join Ryan Karnas, Director, Product Management, at Somos, for a session so rich in insight that it only made sense to split this extraordinary conversation into TWO sessions! During Part One of “Future-Focused Innovation – Supercharging Solutions, Championing Collaboration and Building a Blueprint for Telecom,” a mix of numbering administration authorities and leading number management experts will help us uncoverthe many benefits that numbering registries (specifically in North America) offer. From the TFNRegistry to the North American Numbering Plan – or NANP for short – to the Reassigned Numbers Database (AKA the RND), our panel of seasoned subject matter experts will reveal the many rewards that these registries render.
PART TWO: Future-Focused Innovation – Supercharging Solutions, Championing Collaboration and Building a Blueprint for Telecom
During Part Two of “Future-Focused Innovation – Supercharging Solutions, Championing Collaboration and Building a Blueprint for Telecom,” a second panel of industry experts take the numbering administration and data solutions conversation into a new realm by sharing their outlooks on the next generation of “supercharged solutions.” From Somos’ do not originate service, RealNumber DNO, to RouteLink, a solution that can help streamline call routing, to one of our newest commercial solutions, RealAgent, an array of real-life use cases will evidence how advanced fraud mitigation measures can help protect “The Future of Identity.”
Power Sessions
“Reassigning” Future Trust – How the RND is Driving Next Level Consumer Protection
Since its launch in 2021, the Reassigned Numbers Database (RND) has been a valuable resource in the mission to eliminate telecom fraud. With a simple query to the RND’s repository of phone numbers that have been reassigned to a new user, businesses can help ensure that they are not inadvertently contacting someone who has not given their consent to a call (or text). Better yet, it’s also helped businesses avoid potentially costly Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) violation fines! Join Beth Sprague, Director of RND Administration at SomosGov, for a moderated discussion focused on the RND’s objectives, significance and key benefits. Specifically, the panel of compliance authorities will highlight the myriad of ways that the RND can provide a strategic value add to businesses. From helping protect consumers and businesses (and their bottom line!) to the latest trends in TCPA enforcement, this session is a must attend for businesses and providers looking to stay ahead of the compliance curve.
From Numbers to Knowledge: Unlocking the Potential of Telephone Number Data
A telephone number can hold a wealth of information, such as whether it’s been ported to a different network, the subscriber's activity and roaming status, the number’s authenticity and validity and even recent SIM swaps! Knowing this, it’s vital that we fully recognize and understand the data telephone numbers provide, as that data may be the key to unlocking better decision making, enhanced security and increased trust in telecom. Join Lloyd Tjom, VP Sales, North America at XConnect, and fellow industry peers as they first, unravel the untapped potential of telephone number intelligence and later, provide a glimpse into what’s next for telecom. From developing caller reputation systems to implementing global fraud lists to establishing mobile devices as tenable forms of identification, the panel will explore the innovative, future-focused approaches to technology that are poised to revolutionize telecom and pave the way for advanced safeguards, improved trustworthiness and more seamless communication experiences.
The Power of Location Data: Understanding the Data’s Influence and Preventing Its Misuse
Today, location data is doing anything but “roaming” away – in contrast, conversations around location data have been surging within the telecom industry. With its increased popularity, however, there has been a lot of confusion around what it is and how to use it ethically and justly. Those aren’t the only questions on peoples’ minds, though… Are tower-based and GPS location data the same thing? What are some examples of responsible utilizations of location data? How can we ensure that location data is used for legitimate purposes? Conversely, how do we prevent misuse by unauthorized entities? Join Jaime Zetterstrom, VP, Product Management, at Somos, and a panel of esteemed telecom experts as they answer these questions and more through an exploration of location data's role in Toll-Free routing, including its transformative journey into a vital component of modern telecommunications. Additionally, they’ll discuss the nuances of location data, such as commonly used terminology as well as its range of applications. Throughout the conversation, use cases will be presented that highlight the indispensable role coarse location data plays in promoting accurate call routing.
Breakout Sessions
Rising Against Robocalls and Robotexts: How RealNumber DNO is Supporting the FCC's Call to Action
The pervasive issue of illegal calls, robocalls and robotexts plaguing consumers' phones has prompted the FCC to take decisive action – including the issuance of the Seventh Report and Order, Eighth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and Third Notice of Inquiry – in their fight against telecom fraud. A significant development from the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking includes the proposal to extend call-blocking requirements beyond Gateway Providers, compelling ALL carriers to block, to the best of their ability, calls suspected to be illegal or fraudulent. To effectuate this, the FCC proposes mandating the utilization of Do Not Originate (DNO) lists, a fraud prevention approach that has proven effective in keeping detrimental traffic off networks. Join Bill LaRuffa, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships at Somos, and leading fraud prevention authorities for a deep dive into current and forthcoming legislation as well as how Somos’ RealNumber DNO promotes proactive compliance with FCC mandates. In addition, through a customer case study, the panel will demonstrate how RealNumber DNO not only has a wide range of applications but also how the solution contributes to the collective battle against robocalls and robotexts, all of which helps uphold the integrity of voice and SMS communications.