You can block automated calls by default with your phone company, but it will cost you

If you receive more automated calls than real calls, you will understand that the new decision of the Federal Communications Commission, adopted Thursday. From now on, the telephone companies will be allowed (and encouraged) to automatically block automated calls.

Until now, consumers could sign up for blocking phone calls, but phone companies had not configured it as a default option for all. Under the new rule, telephone companies can automatically block unwanted calls, provided their customers are aware of the practice and can opt out. Businesses can also offer services that block calls from any number that is not on subscriber contact lists.

FCC President Ajit Pai explained in a video on Youtube that the top priority for consumer protection was to limit fraudulent automated calls. "Almost all Americans with a phone, even in the FCC, have them," he said, with an expression that indicated that most calls may come directly to him and that he is just tired of this shit.

Pai also said that the phone companies should introduce an improved caller ID technology later this year, which would make it even easier to detect a call from spam coming from the one that you could really wish to receive.

Do not dare to assume that it will be free

One aspect of the decision that is unclear is what will cost customers to automatically enable Blocked Call Blocking for their accounts. Pai had already commented, "We certainly encourage companies to offer this solution for free," but this has all the force of a light breeze.

The top four operators offer a paid version of its call blocking features, which could very well become a staple on your monthly bill if you do not unsubscribe.

• Verizon offers Call Filter, an application-based call blocker that offers free basic functions, but charges $ 2.99 per line for advanced features such as identifying unknown numbers.
• AT & T offers its customers free fraud blocking and a suspicious spam alert, and charges $ 3.99 per month for enhanced caller ID and reverse number lookup.
• The Sprint Premium Caller ID service automatically selects callers at $ 2.99 per month.
• Scam ID and Scam Block services from T-Mobile are free, but Name ID, which identifies phone numbers and sends certain categories of calls directly to voicemail, costs USD 4 per month.

Verizon, AT & T and T-Mobile clearly indicate that these services are only available to postpaid customers.

Of course, beyond the big players, you can download a multitude of applications and methods that you can use to fight the robotic callers yourself. In the meantime, monitor your phone bill over the next few months to keep up to date with changes to default service offerings and billing increases.

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