AFSA Discusses Call Blocking with FCC
AFSA joined with other trades in meetings at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over the last several days to discuss the call blocking declaratory ruling and notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that will be voted on June 6.
The declaratory rule would let phone carriers know that they can block calls based on call analytics. As opposed to opting-in, customers would opt-out of the call blocking. AFSA is concerned that calls consumers want, from businesses with whom they have a relationship, could be blocked. The NPRM asks for comment on protections and remedies for callers whose calls are erroneously blocked.
Meeting participants expressed a number of concerns with the declaratory ruling and NPRM, especially: (1) the FCC's dramatic shift from blocking illegal calls to blocking unwanted calls, and (2) the necessity for a challenge mechanism so that companies can be notified that their calls are being blocked and have a procedure for getting their calls unblocked.
May 28th, 2019
