FCC Proposes Call Blocking as Default Setting for Providers in Newest Effort to Combat Robocalls

Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai proposed a new avenue to combat illegal robocalls: a declaratory ruling allowing phone companies to establish a default setting to block unwanted calls. In addition to default blocking, the proposition would allow customers to opt in to more aggressive call blocking tools, such as the ability to block calls from numbers not on the customer’s contact list. The FCC’s announcement also proposes a safe harbor for phone providers that implement a “network-wide blocking of calls that fail caller authentication under the SHAKEN/STIR framework once it is implemented.” The FCC’s fact sheet contains more detail about each of these propositions.

Chairman Pai states:

Allowing call blocking by default could be a big benefit for consumers who are sick and tired of robocalls. By making it clear that such call blocking is allowed, the FCC will give voice service providers the legal certainty they need to block unwanted calls from the outset so that consumers never have to get them … And, if this decision is adopted, I strongly encourage carriers to begin providing these services by default—for free—to their current and future customers. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this latest attack on unwanted robocalls and spoofing.