Media Contact:
Will Wiquist, (202) 418-0509
will.wiquist@fcc.govFor Immediate Releasehttps://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-362883A1.pdf CHAIRMAN PAI ANNOUNCES CRITICAL STEP IN FIGHTING SPOOFED ROBOCALLS:
MANDATING STIR/SHAKEN CALLER ID AUTHENTICATION Widespread Implementation Will Yield Substantial Benefits For American Consumers
WASHINGTON, March 6, 2020—Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai
today proposed a major step forward to further the FCC’s efforts to protect consumers against
spoofed robocalls: new rules requiring implementation of caller ID authentication using socalled
“STIR/SHAKEN” technological standards. STIR/SHAKEN enables phone companies
to verify the accuracy of caller ID information that is transmitted with a call. Industry-wide
implementation would reduce the effectiveness of illegal spoofing, allow law enforcement to
identify bad actors more easily, and help phone companies identify calls with illegally spoofed
caller ID information before those calls reach their subscribers. The FCC will vote on these
new rules during its Open Meeting on March 31.
“All of us are fed up with robocalls—including me,” said Chairman Pai. “We’ve taken many
steps to stem the tide of spoofed robocalls. I’m excited about the proposal I’m advancing
today: requiring phone companies to adopt a caller ID authentication framework called
STIR/SHAKEN. Widespread implementation will give American consumers a lot more peace
of mind when they pick up the phone. Last year, I demanded that major phone companies
voluntarily deploy STIR/SHAKEN, and a number of them did. But it’s clear that FCC action
is needed to spur across-the-board deployment of this important technology. There is no silver
bullet when it comes to eradicating robocalls, but this is a critical shot at the target.”
The FCC estimates that the benefits of eliminating the wasted time and nuisance caused by
illegal scam robocalls will exceed $3 billion annually, and STIR/SHAKEN is an important part
of realizing those cost savings. Additionally, when paired with call analytics, STIR/SHAKEN
will help protect American consumers from fraudulent robocall schemes that cost Americans
approximately $10 billion annually. Improved caller ID authentication will also benefit public
safety by reducing spoofed robocalls that disrupt healthcare and emergency communications
systems. Further, implementation of STIR/SHAKEN will restore consumer trust in caller ID
information and encourage consumers to answer the phone, thereby benefitting businesses,
healthcare providers, and non-profit organizations.
In June 2019, the Commission proposed and sought public comment on whether to mandate
implementation of STIR/SHAKEN if major voice service providers did not voluntarily do so
by the end of the year. In December 2019, Congress passed and the President signed into law
the TRACED Act, which directs the Commission to require voice service providers to
implement STIR/SHAKEN in their networks within 18 months of the law’s enactment.
If adopted, and consistent with the TRACED Act, Chairman Pai’s proposal would require
originating and terminating voice service providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN in the
Internet Protocol (IP) portions of their networks by June 30, 2021. An accompanying Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, if adopted, would propose giving one-year extensions of this
deadline for small and rural providers pursuant to the TRACED Act. The Further Notice
would also seek public input on implementing other aspects of the TRACED Act, including
requirements that voice service providers work toward deploying caller ID authentication in the
non-IP parts of their networks.
Over the past three years, the Commission has been aggressive in executing a multi-part
strategy for combatting spoofed robocalls—issuing hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for
violations of its Truth in Caller ID rules; expanding those rules to reach foreign calls and text
messages; enabling voice service providers to block certain clearly unlawful calls before they
reach consumers’ phones; and clarifying that voice service providers may offer call-blocking
services by default. The FCC has also called on the industry to “trace back” illegal spoofed
calls and text messages to their original sources.
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www.fcc.govThis is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.
Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.
See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974)
