mobanmarketA new rule proposed by the Federal Communications Commission could reduce the seemingly endless robocalls that Americans receive on a daily basis.
The FCC said that the proposed rule would allow phone companies to block unwanted calls to customers by default. According to the FCC, phone companies have held off on creating or using default call blocking tools because of concerns about whether they are legal under FCC rules.
“Allowing call blocking by default could be a big benefit for consumers who are sick and tired of robocalls,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement. “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.”
Companies could also let consumers block calls not on their own contact list, meaning their phone would ring only if the call is coming from someone on their contact list.
The FCC said the blocking tools could be based on analytics and consumer “white lists.” According to the agency, similar analytics are already being used by third-party apps.
The rule would also let consumers opt out of any blocking services. The FCC will consider the measures at its June 6 meeting.
“Basically, instead of being offered call blocking on an opt-in basis, carriers could provide block calls unless you affirmatively opt-out,” Pai wrote in a blog post. “This could mean a major reduction in robocalls, as call blocking would become the rule, not the exception.”
According to YouMail, a robocall blocker and voicemail app, 4.9 billion robocalls were placed in the U.S. in April 2019 alone. In all of 2019, more than 20 billion robocalls have been placed, according to YouMail.
Pai encouraged phone companies to provide call blocking services to customers for free if the rule is adopted.
Pai also proposed seeking public comment on how caller ID authentication standards that are expected to be implemented later this year could be useful for call blocking. The caller ID authentication framework, known as SHAKEN/STIR, would validate phone calls so that phone companies can verify them.