The Federal Communications Commission is cracking down hard on robocallers and any telecommunications provider allowing such traffic on their network. The agency released a list of 20 companies that face getting cut off from the rest of the telecom world for supposed abuses related to robocalls.
The Robocall Response Team on October 16 released a list of twenty new Enforcement Bureau orders to remove the non-compliant providers from the Robocall Mitigation Database.
“Robocalls are a plague on our phones,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “From auto warranty scams to package delivery scams, consumers are sick and tired of these fraudulent calls. That is why we are taking this action today and won’t stop looking for new ways to get this junk off the line.”
The Enforcement Bureau orders give the non-compliant companies 14 days to provide the FCC with reasons they should not be removed from the database for deficient filings. Being removed from the list requires all intermediate providers and terminating voice service providers to stop carrying the companies’ traffic. The fallout would include their customers being blocked and a complete shutdown of all traffic originating from these companies, so calls can’t be completed.
Companies on the list include:
- Computer Integrated Solutions
- Claude ICT Poland
- Datacom Specialists
- DomainerSuite
- Evernex
- Etihad Etisalat (Mobily)
- Humbolt VoIP
- My Taxi Ride
- National Cloud Communications
- Nervill
- NewWave Consulting
- Phone GS
- Route 66 Broadband
- SIA Tet
- Tech Bizz Solutions
- Textodog
- Vida Network Technologies
- USA-Connect.net
- 2054235 Alberta
- Viettel Business Solutions
Service providers must file certifications with the Robocall Mitigation Database, letting the agency know the status of the Secure Telephone Identity Revisited and Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs (STIR/SHAKEN) implementation and efforts to halt robocallers. This system verifies a caller’s identity between carriers and initiates a block against illegal traffic. Any voice service provider failing to meet the complete requirements of STIR/SHAKEN must describe all robocall mitigation actions taken to ensure they are contributing to the source of illegal calls. If a provider is not on the database registry, all other voice service providers must cease accepting traffic from the one defaulting on the code.
“Compliance with these rules is fundamental to ensuring U.S. communications networks are unfriendly places for scam robocallers,” said Enforcement Bureau Chief Loyaan Egal. “Companies must actively engage in this consumer protection. Ignoring these requirements – or, far worse, supporting illegal callers and scam texters – comes with serious consequences.”
The FCC’s Robocall Response Team works to stop all illegal calls by networking with enforcers, attorneys, policymakers, engineers, economists, and outreach experts to find the source of malicious actors and shut them down. Since Chairwoman Rosenworcel established the team, the FCC has reported a 99% drop in auto warranty robocalls, an 88% drop in month-to-month student loan scam calls, and stopped predatory mortgage calls targeting homeowners nationwide.