WASHINGTON—NAFCU and other financial services industry trade groups have spoken with staff from Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai's and Commissioner Michael O'Rielly's offices related to the agency's efforts to target illegal robocalls.
Later this month, the FCC is set to consider an order and further notice of proposed rulemaking (FNPR) related to establishing a safe harbor from liability for voice service providers (VSPs) that block unwanted calls.
During the discussions with Pai's and O'Rielly's offices, NAFCU reported it repeated its concerns legitimate calls are continuing to be blocked by voice service providers (VSPs) under the STIR/SHAKEN caller identification framework meant to target illegal robocalls. While the FCC issued a report and order in April to require VSPs to implement the framework by June 30, 2021, many have already begun to do so, NAFCU suggested.
The association also asked that the VSP safe harbor set for consideration include a requirement that credit unions be effectively notified if their calls are being blocked so they can pursue redress mechanisms with VSPs and that redress mechanisms address the mislabeling of calls in addition to blocking calls.
NAFCU noted it and other trade groups have urged the FCC to initiate a rulemaking to implement other provisions of the TRACED Act that require the FCC to address erroneous blocking or mislabeling of legitimate calls.