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The Federal Communications Commission today said it will create a robocall mitigation scorecard to rate phone companies on how effectively they block illegal spam calls.<\/p>\n
The scorecards could include call-blocking statistics along with data on customer complaints and enforcement actions. The FCC said scorecards could grade providers on a number scale, with letter grades, or by classifying providers as low risk, medium risk, or high risk.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Scorecard will empower consumers and encourage providers to continue to combat illegal robocalls by providing the public with an assessment of the effectiveness of voice service providers\u2019 efforts to protect consumers from illegal robocalls,\u201d the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau said in a public notice.<\/p>\n
The proposed tool would rate wireless, wireline, and VoIP providers on efforts to block robocalls and their \u201cactual results in protecting [consumers] from illegal robocalls,\u201d the FCC said. \u201cIn practice, that means moving beyond a simple administrative checklist (i.e., did the provider file the right paperwork, did they offer the right tools) and toward a composite set of metrics that reflects both operational practices and measurable outcomes, including how often legitimate calls are blocked.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether the tool is useful for consumers will depend on how it\u2019s designed, how easy each provider\u2019s scorecard is to find, and what data sources it relies on. The proposed scorecard would apply to domestic voice service providers with retail customers, but not telcos that operate solely as wholesale or intermediate providers.<\/p>\n
\u201cCombatting the scourge of illegal robocalls remains the FCC\u2019s top consumer protection priority\u2026 As proposed in today\u2019s public notice, the FCC aims to develop a scorecard that will give consumers more information about the measures providers are taking to fight illegal robocalls, and it will also incentivize providers to improve their efforts,\u201d FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a press release.<\/p>\n