WASHINGTON—Both CU trade groups have stepped up their opposition to an announcement by the FCC on June 6 that it will consider a declaratory ruling and Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (TFNPR) that would allow both voice service providers to automatically block suspected robocalls unless a consumer opts out.
As CUToday.info reported here, CUNA has asked NCUA Chairman Rodney Hood to intervene in the matter.
Meanwhile, NAFCU Regulatory Affairs Counsel Mahlet Makonnen has raised other issues, noting that under the TFNPR, providers that implement a network-wide blocking of calls that fail caller authentication under SHAKEN/STIR would be given a safe harbor.
Makonnen clarified that the declaratory ruling requires providers who offer the opt-out call-blocking program to provide "sufficient information" so that consumers are fully aware. However, the new rule could pose a threat to legitimate callers, like credit unions.
‘No Protections for Legitimate Callers’
"In addition, the Declaratory Ruling requires providers to clearly disclose to consumers what types of calls may be blocked and the risks of potentially blocking wanted calls," Makonnen said. "The issue is that there are currently no protections for legitimate callers, such as a notification from providers if calls are mistakenly blocked and a mechanism to challenge the erroneous blocking of calls."
If the FCC approves of the declaratory ruling during its June meeting, it will be effective immediately; the TFNPR will publish with a 30-day comment period if approved. These efforts put forth by the FCC overlap with the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, S.151, which was introduced by Senators John Thune, R-S.D., and Ed Markey, D-Mass. earlier this year, noted NAFCU, which added it has actively worked with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over the past three years to obtain more clarity and flexibility under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act to ensure credit unions can contact their members without fear of breaking the law.