Scott Nicholas
Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and CEO, has been chosen by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler to head a “Robocalling Strike Force” that will help drive the development and adoption of tools to stop automated calls.
Bob Quinn, AT&T federal regulatory group senior vice president, wrote in a blog post published Monday the strike force will also advise the FCC chairman on how the government could participate in the efforts against robocalling.
He said the company will also conform to emerging Voice over Internet Protocol caller ID verification standards by the Internet Engineering Task Force and the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions.
AT&T will also work to adopt Common Channel Signaling System No. 7 standards for VoIP calls, support efforts by other carriers to utilize call blocking technologies on their respective networks and develop a “Do Not Originate” list for calls coming from overseas, Quinn added.
Wheeler said in a post published Friday the commission will address robocalls through the implementation of new rules and processes, support for pro-consumer innovation and collaboration with the private sector.
The FCC chairman added the commission will continue to investigate the robocall complaints, push for regulatory changes to limit robocalls and urge carriers to provide free call blocking technologies to customers.
“Whenever and wherever Congress and the courts give us the authority, the commission will push hard for strong, pro-consumer limits to robocalls and other unwanted calls,” Wheeler wrote.
