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Operators have been slow to solve the growing problem of automated calls, but the Federal Communications Commission may be on the verge of forcing their hand. In a letter to fourteen US carriers, FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks today presented the confusing and often ineffective options available to consumers to combat automated spam calls, as well as the threat of regulatory action if the operators did not improve.
"Although, historically, new tools have been demanded, it does not seem that all suppliers have acted hastily to deploy blocked opt-out call blocking services," Starks told operators. "The Commission has made it clear that we expect that optional call blocking services will be available to consumers free of charge. In summary, overall, carriers' plans for these services are far from clear. "
In June, the FCC decided to allow operators to block automated calls by default and prompted them to adopt protections using the STIR / SHAKEN protocol by the end of the year. In response to this order, Commissioner Starks asked Telecom to inform the Commission of its intention to offer free blocking of blocked calls.
But the answers to this request, published today with the Starks letter, show a range of confused and obscure tools. AT & T has released its own automated call blocking system (called "Call Protect") on July 9, making it the default setting for all newly installed lines. T-Mobile's default "Scam ID" system attempts to identify automated calls, but users must choose the more complete "Scam Block" service. (Both products are free.) Comcast has adopted a similar line, explaining to Starks that it offers "a range of free automated call mitigation tools that customers could choose to use." mandate to proactively block automated calls.
Other providers are still working on their Robocall services. Verizon offers a call screening service based on STIR / SHAKEN, but told the Commission that it is actively working on ways to make call blocking more widely available to our customers. (The company has not proposed any timetable for this work.) Sprint said it would offer a free app call blocking "in the near future."
Many carriers also claimed to block millions or even billions of automated calls per year with their current systems. Nevertheless, these efforts do not seem to slow down the spread of calls, which have reached epidemic proportions. In January, a YouMail study estimated that nearly 48 billion automated calls had been made in the United States in 2018, an increase of more than 50 percent over the previous year.
The operators' responses do not seem to have satisfied Starks, who suggested that regulatory actions could be considered if operators are not able to quickly deploy new tools. "If we find that carriers are acting contrary to our expectations, we will start developing rules," Starks wrote. "I expect to be updated by operators as progress is made in providing free call blocking services, and recommends operators not to go ahead. stop before the end of the work. The earliest would be best."
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