FCC Wants Tougher Robocall Rules to Keep Bad Actors Out of U.S. Phone Networks

The FCC is proposing tougher requirements for the database used to track voice providers’ robocall-mitigation compliance, part of a broader effort to keep illegal and fraudulent calls from reaching consumers. Prostock-studio/Shutterstock

The Federal Communications Commission is considering another crackdown on the infrastructure that allows illegal robocalls to reach American phones. The FCC has proposed strengthening its Robocall Mitigation Database, a system used to identify voice service providers and document the steps they take to prevent illegal robocalls from traveling across their networks. The proposal was published in the Federal Register on September 9 after the Commission adopted the Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on July 22.

For consumers tired of scam calls, the important point is that this isn’t simply a government database of phone companies. A provider’s ability to transmit calls through U.S. telephone networks can depend on whether it complies with FCC robocall requirements and maintains an appropriate database listing.