Comments to inform the recommendation for the Feb. 13 meeting are being accepted.
1/22/2020 12:00
The Federal Communications Commission Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) will consider a recommendation Feb. 13 on the effectiveness of call blocking tools, including the Caller ID Authentication and SHAKEN/STIR, that present risks to legitimate calls from accounts receivable management companies.
According to the public notice for the special meeting, the CAC Robocall Report Working Group will present a recommendation on the gathering of data and/or sources of data relating to the availability and effectiveness of call blocking tools, as described in the FCC’s Declaratory Ruling and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls; Call Authentication Trust Anchor.
Now is a critical time for ACA International members and the industry to be a part of the conversation.
ACA’s advocacy team is working on comments in response to the FCC, due Jan. 29 (reply comments will be accepted on or before Feb. 28, 2020), and also seeks important member insights on their experiences with call blocking and mislabeling. The comments will inform a comprehensive report in progress by the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau.
The issue of preventing harm from illegal robocalls on consumers and businesses continues to be at the forefront of ACA’s advocacy work in 2020.
ACA members are encouraged to submit comments from the perspective of businesses impacted by default call blocking services by sharing their input with the FCC or working with our advocacy team. Contact Vice President and Senior Counsel of Federal Advocacy Leah Dempsey at [email protected] to share your feedback for the FCC’s comments or on data related to call blocking and labeling services.
Here’s a timeline and background on the FCC’s consideration of call blocking and labeling rules:
A declaratory ruling released by the FCC on June 6, 2019, allows voice service providers to block illegal and “unwanted” calls as the default before they reach consumers’ phones. The ruling, which went into effect immediately upon its release in June, requires providers to give consumers the opportunity to opt-out of the call blocking service, ACA previously reported.
The ruling also directs the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau to study and report on the current state of call blocking tools and the recent public notice outlines the need for public comment on:
- Availability of call-blocking solutions;
- Effectiveness of call-blocking solutions;
- Impact of FCC actions; and
- Impact of call-blocking solutions on 911 services and public safety.
The 2020 Call Blocking Report due in June 2020 informed by these comments, according to the FCC, will address:
- The availability to consumers of call-blocking solutions;
- The effectiveness of various categories of call-blocking tools; and
- Direct consumer costs associated with the tools.
Related Content from ACA International:
Call to Action – Data Needed for FCC Comments
ACA International members can help inform comments to the FCC by sharing experiences with call blocking and mislabeling. Editor’s note: This content is available to members only.
FCC Opens Call Blocking Comment Period; ACA Continues Advocacy for Members