FCC To Review Robocall Blocking Options
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced the FCC will begin a study of unwanted-call blocking services available to consumers. “As the FCC continues to pull out all the stops to protect consumers against scam robocalls and spoofing, we expect phone companies and others to make effective tools available to consumers so they can block unwanted and fraudulent calls,” said Chairman Pai. “This report will help us better understand where we stand on call blocking and how the actions we’ve taken to date have worked.”
As part of the June declaratory ruling and proposed rulemaking, the FCC tasked its Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau to study and report on the current landscape of call blocking tools. The 2020 Call Blocking Report will address, among other things, the availability to consumers of call-blocking solutions, the effectiveness of various categories of call-blocking tools, and any direct consumer costs associated with the tools. The Bureau will study the impact of previous FCC rule changes to allow voice service providers to block calls from phone numbers on a Do-Not-Originate list and those that purport to be from invalid, unallocated, or unused numbers. The report will also include a study on the impact of call blocking on 911 and public safety. Separately, the FCC issued a Public Notice seeking input for the report. Inteserra Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 6/12/19 and watch for a Briefing on the Public Notice.
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The Regulatory Mix Today: FCC to Review Robocall Blocking Options, FCC 911 State Fee Report, Mississippi No Call Law Violations, USDA Invests $5.6 Million for Broadband in West Virginia
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FCC 911 State Fee Report
The FCC released its eleventh annual report to Congress on the collection and distribution of 911 fees by states. The report finds that in calendar year 2018, states and territories collected more than $2.6 billion in 911 fees, and $197.9 million of that funding was diverted for uses other than 911. The report identifies five states—Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and West Virginia—as diverting 911 fees for other purposes. Last year’s report found that almost $285 million in 911 fees were diverted for non-911 uses by six states and one territory.
The report also contains detailed state-by-state data on other aspects of 911 deployment in the United States, including the number and type of 911 calls, the number of 911 call centers and telecommunicators, investment in Next Generation 911, programs to support cybersecurity for 911 systems, and the extent of state-level oversight and auditing of the collection and use of 911 fees. The FCC is seeking comment on the findings in the new report.
Commenting on the report, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said “The FCC’s report on state 911 fees once again shows again that some states are diverting the money they collect away from 911-related services. This is unacceptable. When Americans pay 911 fees on their phone bills, they expect that money to fund 911-related services. Instead, more than 7% of the fees collected went to other purposes. I appreciate Commissioner O’Rielly’s continued work to address the unacceptable practice of 911 fee diversion. I’d also like to thank House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Greg Walden as well as Representatives Anna Eshoo and Chellie Pingree for their work in Congress to fix this issue. While this year’s numbers show movement in the right direction, there is still more work to be done to ensure that all money is spent on 911-related services.”
Commissioner O’Rielly issued his own statement saying: “Despite some progress over the years reducing the list of diverters and non-reporters, the Commission’s latest 9-1-1 fee diversion report sadly shows that the same pitiful states continue to raid consumer-paid funds for unrelated purposes, and one additional territory didn’t bother to respond at all. Specifically, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and at least one county in Nevada seized 2018 funds for other uses, meritorious or not, placing the public safety of residents and visitors at risk; American Samoa failed to provide any response, preventing us from assessing its practices. This is unconscionable. I’m so appreciative that such downright thievery is receiving greater scrutiny by the Commission and generating serious legislative proposals by key Congressional leaders.”
Also in response to the report, House Energy and Commerce Committee Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH) called for bipartisan action from the Energy and Commerce Committee to stop the diversion of 9-1-1 fees for unrelated, non-emergency purposes. In a letter to Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Walden and Latta stress the need to act promptly to address this threat to public safety saying, in part: "The amount of 9-1-1 funds that have been diverted for nearly a decade is troubling. Since 2009, over $1 billion of 9-1-1 funds have been diverted by states and territories for purposes other than for supporting 9-1-1 services. It is unconscionable that some states continue diverting fees for non-9-1-1 purposes, and we urge you to work with us and our Republican colleagues to end diversion immediately."
Learn More About Inteserra NG911 Project Management Support Services
Mississippi No-Call Law Violations
Commissioner Brandon Presley announced that the Mississippi Public Service Commission it has charged two telemarketers with violations of the Mississippi No-Call law. The PSC’s investigation found that these two companies made 47 illegal calls to Mississippians. Should these entities be found to have violated the No-Call law, they are subject to a combined total of $235,000 in fines. Notices of alleged violations have been recently filed against Subscription Ink Co. and Long Distance Gurus, LLC “Our staff will continue to do everything they can to actively seek out companies and individuals who continue to violate our No-Call law. Other companies should take these fines as a warning sign that we remain vigilant and will ultimately bring those who violate it to justice. These illegal calls against the innocent people of our state will stop,” said Commissioner Presley. Presley encouraged Mississippians to download the PSC’s new smartphone app, which allows citizens to immediately report calls to the PSC from their cell phones. The app can be found by searching “PSC No-Call” in the iTunes App Store or Google Play Marketplace. Also, landline phones can be registered at www.psc.state.ms.us or by calling Commissioner Presley’s office at 1-800-637-7722.
USDA Invests $5.6 Million for Broadband in West Virginia
The USDA announced has invested $5.6 million in two, high-speed broadband infrastructure projects that will create or improve rural e-Connectivity for more than 3,250 rural households and nearly 200 businesses in Tyler and Wetzel counties in West Virginia. This is one of many funding announcements in the first round of USDA’s ReConnect Pilot Program investments.
“Both of these projects are providing critical communications investments in some truly rural areas of West Virginia,” Rural Utilities Service Administrator Chad Rupe said. “Through USDA’s ReConnect program, these counties will get access to the latest broadband technology, and that will have a positive economic impact for the farms and ranches, small businesses and families that live in these communities. Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, USDA is committed to this strong partnership with rural communities in deploying this critical infrastructure, because we know when rural America thrives, all of America thrives.”
The Regulatory Mix will be on hiatus December 24, 2019 to January 1, 2020.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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The Regulatory Mix, Inteserra’s blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of an Inteserra Briefing.
