FCC Calls on Businesses to Take Action to End Harmful "Automated Calls"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai on Monday told executives of major phone and other phone service providers, urging them to launch a system by 2019 to fight against the billions of automated calls received each month US consumers.

In May, Pai called on companies to adopt a "call authentication system" or an industry-developed standard for cryptographic signing of phone calls aimed at bringing an end to the use of illegitimate usurped numbers of the telephone system. Monday's letters ask for answers by November 19 on the status of these efforts.

The letters were sent to 13 companies, including AT & T, Verizon, T-Mobile US, Alphabet, Comcast, Cox Communications, Sprint, CenturyLink, Charter Communications, Bandwith, etc.

Pai's letters have raised concerns about the current efforts of some companies, including Sprint, CenturyLink, Charter, Vonage, Telephone and Data Systems Inc., US Cellular Corp and Frontier Communications Corp. robust call authentication framework, "citing FCC staff.

The authentication framework "numerically validates the transfer of telephone calls through the complex network of networks, allowing the telephone company of the consumer receiving the call to verify that a call is coming from the person supposed to do it, "said the FCC.

YouMail, a company that blocks and monitors automated calls, estimated that there were 5.1 billion unsolicited calls last month, up from 3.4 billion in April.

The FCC has taken a number of steps to deter automated calls or pre-recorded automated calls that regulators have called "scourge".

"We need call authentication to become a reality, which is the best way to ensure that consumers can answer their phones with confidence." Right here next year, I expect consumers to start seeing this on their phones, "Pai said.

"I call on those who are late to catch up … If it does not appear that this system is on track to be operational next year, we will act to ensure that we are on track. it is so. "

Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat, asked the FCC earlier this year to set a deadline and said, "Canada has decided to put this technology in place by 2019. We should do the same as our northern neighbors . "