On June 7, 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) released a Declaratory Ruling clarifying steps voice service providers may take to protect consumers from illegal and unwanted robocalls. In that proceeding, the Commission directed the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau), in consultation with the Wireline Competition (WCB) and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureaus (PSHSB), to report on the implementation and effectiveness of blocking measures. The Commission also directed the Bureau to prepare two reports to be submitted to the Commission, with the first Staff Report on Call Blocking due on June 7, 2020, and the second due twelve months later.
On December 20, 2019, the Bureau released a Public Notice in which it sought input for the First Staff Report on Call Blocking. The Public Notice was published in the Federal Register on December 30, 2019. Initial comments were due January 29, 2020; reply comments are due on February 28, 2020. Comments can be filed in CG Docket No. 17-59 and WC Docket No. 17-97, using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS).
QUICK FACTS
For the First Staff Report on Call Blocking, among other things, the Bureau seeks input on the following:
- Availability of Call Blocking Tools. The Bureau seeks data and other information on the availability of call blocking tools offered to consumers.
- Effectiveness of Call Blocking Tools. The Bureau seeks data and other information on the effectiveness of call blocking tools offered to consumers.
- Impact of FCC Actions. The Bureau seeks data and other information on the impact of previous Commission rule changes to allow voice service providers to block calls from phone numbers on a Do-Not-Originate list and those that purport to be from invalid, unallocated, or unused numbers.
- Impact of Call Blocking on 911 Services and Public Safety. The Bureau seeks data and other information on the impact of call blocking on 911 services and public safety.
- Other Relevant Information. The Bureau seeks comment on any other information that may inform the Commission’s analysis of the state of deployment of advanced methods and tools to eliminate illegal and unwanted calls.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Please contact Mika Savir of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0384 or mika.savir@fcc.gov.