The Senate on Saturday unanimously passed a bipartisan bill that would require the Federal Communications Commission to establish a rule under which it would maintain a list of phone numbers that are not eligible to be blocked by voice service providers while also requiring the FCC to develop a report …
Read More »Verizon Rolls Out Automatic Call Blocking on Android Phones
Verizon announced yesterday that customers using Android smartphones will now automatically be enrolled in the carrier’s free Call Filter service, which blocks robocalls and sends them directly to voicemail while also putting a warning label on caller IDs about calls that could potentially be fraudulent or spam. Customers previously had …
Read More »All 50 State AGs Announce Partnership With 12 Carriers to Fight Robocalls
The attorneys general of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., announced a partnership yesterday with 12 major telecom carriers to join together and fight the proliferation of robocalls through a set of shared “principles.” News of the partnership was shared at a press conference yesterday in Washington, D.C. Leading the …
Read More »FTC, FCC Disagree Over Who Should be VoIP Robocall Enforcer
The Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission are having a tough time figuring out who should be the primary regulator going after individuals and organizations that are making illegal robocalls, according to a published report [Registration required]. Both sides appear to think the other has jurisdiction, according to the …
Read More »AT&T, T-Mobile Announce Deployment of SHAKEN/STIR Protocols
AT&T and T-Mobile announced yesterday that they are rolling out call authentication technology for calls placed between their two networks, which marks the latest step in a mandate from the Federal Communications Commission for carriers to deploy the technology, known as SHAKEN/STIR, by the end of this year. Once deployed, …
Read More »FCC Seeks Input On Impact of Call Blocking Technologies
The Federal Communications Commission’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau has published a notice that it is seeking input into the progress made by industry, government, and consumers into combatting illegal robocalls. The notice marks another attempt by the FCC to deal with robocalls at the rulemaking level. In seeking comment, the …
Read More »Lawmakers Reach Out to FCC To Remove TCPA Exemption For Government-Related Debt Collections
Two Senators and two members of the House of Representatives have sent a letter to Ajit Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, urging the agency to no longer exempt companies collecting debts owed to or guaranteed by the federal government from complying with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. …
Read More »FTC Files Suit Against Robocallers Who Made ‘Billions’ of Calls
The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against a group of defendants, alleging they engaged in a scheme to illegally facilitate “billions” of robocalls that pitched everything from auto warranties to debt-relief services. The case was filed in the District Court for the Central District of California. It lists James …
Read More »A Firsthand Account of The ARM Industry’s Trip to Washington, D.C.
Members of the ARM industry descended on Washington, D.C., in mid-May to attend ACA International’s annual Washington Insights conference. The event featured a number of regulators, lawmakers, and other D.C. insiders, and also gave members of the ARM industry a chance to interact with the people who decide what they …
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