Interview: TNS on the Evolving Challenges and Opportunities Shaping Enterprise Communications in 2026

June 2026

Telecoms & Connectivity

Ardit Ballhysa

Senior Research Analyst

Following TNS's (Transaction Network Services) win at Juniper Research’s Future Digital Awards, we spoke with Mike Schinnerer, Vice President of Trusted Communications, TNS Communications Market, about the evolving challenges and opportunities shaping enterprise communications in 2026. The conversation explored how enterprises are facing growing difficulties in ensuring outbound calls are answered, driven by rising spam concerns, fraud tactics, and stricter call authentication requirements that continue to undermine consumer trust in voice communications.   What are the biggest challenges enterprises face in 2026 in ensuring their outbound calls are answered?

The core problem is simple: customers aren't picking up. Bad actors have exploited communications channels by using various fraudulent tactics, including phone number spoofing and impersonating legitimate enterprises, to trick customers into answering. These bad actors have conditioned consumers to ignore unknown numbers. The scale of their criminal attacks is significant: imposter fraud costs Americans nearly $3 billion annually, and 69% of contact centre professionals report issues with fraudsters spoofing their business’s identity.

The good news is that solutions exist. TNS Branding and Call Authentication Suite - which includes Spoof Protection, Telephone Number Reputation Monitoring, and Enterprise Branded Calling - verifies legitimate calls while blocking spoofed traffic in real time. In addition, it tackles the answer rate problem directly by displaying brand name and logo on consumers' mobile devices, so customers know who's calling before they pick up.

How is TNS differentiating its approach to branded calling?

TNS takes a layered, network-native approach that competitors can't easily replicate. Rather than a standalone branding tool, TNS offers a turnkey solution spanning spoof protection, number reputation monitoring, number registration, vetting, and enriched call delivery.

TNS Enterprise Branded Calling is directly integrated into major US wireless networks; reaching 300 million+ iOS and Android users across Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Only verified, legitimate calls get branded, which reduces spoofing risk while lifting answer rates. Enterprises also get actionable analytics on calls delivered, answered, declined, missed, and returned.

The results speak for themselves: 4 billion enriched calls delivered and counting.

Can you share any examples of how TNS has helped enterprises improve call pick-up rates?

Results speak louder than features. Here are a few standouts:

• Verizon implemented TNS Enterprise Branded Calling to counter spoofing and saw sales line answer rates jump 25%; with longer call durations signalling stronger prospect engagement.
• A debt management firm used branded calling to supercharge lead generation, and its answer rates increased 133%.
• An animal welfare non-profit reliant on outbound donor campaigns saw answer rates rise 42%; directly improving fundraising efficiency.
• A California-based marketing company saw answer rates climb 14% and call duration improve nearly 25%.

Adoption is accelerating across the board.

Over the past year, TNS branded nearly 2 billion calls – a 61% annual increase – with standout growth in healthcare (+99%), financial services (+96%), technology (+143%), and education (+191%).

As technologies and fraudulent attack vectors evolve, how is TNS ensuring that its branded calling solutions remain future-proof?

Emerging technologies, particularly AI, continue to breed new threats and add complexity to traditional communications channels, including voice calling. As a result, regulators, and the broader communications ecosystem as a whole, must continually adapt their approaches to protect trust in voice calling. TNS remains focused on future-proofing its Branding and Call Authentication Suite through ongoing investment in cutting-edge phone number intelligence, continuous innovation, and proactive alignment with evolving regulatory and ecosystem requirements. This includes monitoring how telephone numbers are used, who is using them, and how they are scored and treated across networks. TNS is also enhancing analytics and reporting capabilities so enterprises can regularly assess call performance, reputation metrics, and emerging risks. In parallel, TNS also continues to refine the suite’s features to address emerging fraud and spoofing tactics, such as detecting AI-synthesised voice attacks. By combining policy adherence, real-time data analysis, and iterative product development, TNS helps ensure branded calling programmes remain effective, trusted, and scalable, even as industry standards, Communications Service Provider (CSP) requirements, and consumer expectations continue to evolve.

In addition to branded calling, what are some of the other areas that TNS is focusing on in 2026?

As fraud tactics and customer expectations become more sophisticated, TNS remains focused on strengthening the voice channel end to end. TNS helps enterprises restore trust, stop spoofing, and improve answer rates through trusted calling solutions like its Branding and Call Authentication Suite - which includes Spoof Protection, Telephone Number Reputation Monitoring, and Enterprise Branded Calling - while also modernising the underlying network infrastructure that powers voice communications. Together, these efforts enable TNS to protect and optimise the full lifecycle of voice; safeguarding communications while improving performance, reliability, and customer engagement. 

For example, TNS Hosted Cloud Connect plays a key role in this evolution by enabling CSPs to transition from legacy time-division multiplexing (TDM) to scalable, IP‑based networks through a low‑risk, phased approach. Built on TNS’s global, carrier‑grade backbone, Hosted Cloud Connect reduces operational overhead while supporting new services across Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) and Contact Centre-as-a-Service (CCaaS), with survivability and analytics built in. This modernisation helps CSPs accelerate time to market, simplify operations, and take advantage of new architectural and technology advancements. 

By bringing together trusted voice solutions and network modernisation, TNS is helping CSPs and enterprises deliver secure, reliable communication experiences, while also realising the operational efficiencies needed to support innovation, unlock new revenue streams, and thrive in an increasingly complex telecom ecosystem.

TNS Enterprise Branded Calling uses branded caller ID and branded call display with a verified name and logo on outgoing calls, reducing uncertainty, building trust and increasing likelihood that customers answer.

To learn more about TNS and their services, visit https://communications.tnsi.com/communications-market/solutions/branding-call-authentication/enterprise-branded-calling