The new proposal might not sit well with VoIP providers, which are expected to face a significant additional burden
Phone scams are becoming worryingly common: Online and phone scams have seen a significant rise in the US and elsewhere recently. We estimate that in 2020 these scams caused losses for consumers of about £1.2bn across Australia, UK, and US. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted measures to tackle robocalls (one method used by scammers), and caller ID ‘spoofing’ which malicious callers use to conceal their identity. The FCC estimates that US consumers received 4bn robocalls a month in 2020 – a clear sign of the scale of the problem.
Regulators have been asking telecoms operators to do more: One of the challenges that has emerged in the fight against robocalls is to reduce the number of scam calls and texts that consumers get in the first place. With the move from traditional telephony to VoIP technology, scammers have had an easy time in misleading consumers by hiding behind seemingly trustworthy phone numbers. For this reason, the FCC now requires operators to implement STIR/SHAKEN, a new caller line identification standard, which should make it harder for scammers to hide behind a different phone number. Providers are also required to exchange accurate information about the source of calls on their networks to help identify scammers.
VoIP providers will now need to do their bit: Last week, the FCC proposed new rules for VoIP providers to comply with anti-robocalling obligations before they can access numbering resources. Six years ago the FCC allowed VoIP providers to obtain numbers directly rather than through a traditional carrier. This improved choice and competition, but also caused a rise in robocalls and spoofing. The new rules would require operators to certify that they will not facilitate robocalls and to take clear steps to stop originating, terminating, or transmitting these calls. Operators would also have to register on the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation Database, and prove compliance with 911 obligations (i.e. emergency services) before obtaining numbers. VoIP providers already have to provide 911 access to their customers, but these new requirements ask them to be significantly more proactive in discouraging malicious use of their service. The FCC is now seeking comments on the proposal, which could well see VoIP providers push back on the additional burden they are likely to face.
Source: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-updates-numbering-rules-fight-robocalls-promote-public-safety
