Saturday 18 April, 2026
GSMA, Telefónica Tech, TMT ID and Dock Labs have initiated a Proof of Concept (PoC) to explore a new, privacy-preserving model of caller authentication that is faster, secure, and user-friendly.
Most call centers have the same problem: they spend several minutes of every call trying to figure out who’s actually on the line. Traditional methods like security questions and one-time passwords (OTPs) slow everything down. They’re also vulnerable to SIM swaps, phishing, and caller ID spoofing.
And because call centre agents need to ask for personal details to confirm identity, customers end up sharing data that should stay private, creating privacy and compliance risks for organisations.
A Proven Approach to Solving Call Centre Authentication Challenges
The Trusted Caller Identity proof of concept demonstrates how callers can authenticate themselves in seconds using a secure digital identity. What stood out most was the sheer scale of the efficiency and cost savings this approach can unlock.
Glyn Povah, Head of Global Product Development, Digital Identity from Telefónica Tech highlighted that identity verification in today’s call centres typically takes four to five minutes per call. With average call centre costs ranging from $0.75 to $1.50 per minute, organisations are spending several dollars on every interaction purely on authentication.
For mid- to large-scale call centres handling around 150,000 calls per month, even modest reductions in authentication time can translate into significant savings. In fact, the potential time saved could equate to up to $600,000 per month, while also delivering a faster, smoother experience for customers.
Dock Labs and Telefónica Tech also ran a live demo at the GSMA Pavilion, showcasing an innovative approach to identity verification – using a verified ID to replace security questions and OTPs with a stronger, more reliable identity signal. If you missed the demo, watch the video to see it in action.
MWC26 Mobile Identity Summit: Mobile as the new platform for identity and trust against fraud and impersonation
At the Mobile Identity Summit, a clear industry direction emerged: mobile is becoming a foundational trust platform to address the growing threat of scams, fraud and identity impersonation. Traditional authentication methods are no longer sufficient in an AI-driven threat landscape, reinforcing the need for user-centric, reusable digital credentials that give individuals control over their identity while enabling secure, low-friction interactions. Glyn Povah addressed one of the most urgent challenges: how to strengthen digital identity by putting the user at the centre, without compromising the user experience.
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