Robocalls Getting Worse: Can Carriers Help Stop It?

Robocalls getting worse despite the TCPA is a growing complaint that a new Senate bill is hoping to address by getting cell carriers involved in enforcement.

According to New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, cell phone subscribers in New York City and Long Island were bombarded with approximately 164 million robocalls in November alone – an average of nine per person per day. The problem has demonstrated that the TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) and the National Do Not Call Registry are doing little to deter telemarketers from contacting consumers – whether they want it or not.

The New York Daily News reports that under the proposed legislation, known as the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act (TRACED), cell phone carriers and other telecom service providers would be required to digitally validate all such calls that go through their networks.

Are Robocalls Getting Worse?

New Yorkers’ experience is just the tip of a very large iceberg. According to a 2018 NBC News story, the problem of unwanted robocalls is more widespread than ever, despite regulations intended to keep them in check. Citing data from call-blocking service YouMail, NBC reported that in June 2018, U.S. cell phone subscribers received a whopping 4 billion robocalls – a 100 percent increase from January 2016.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), complaints about unwanted telemarketing calls are the most common. Last year, the agency received more than 3.7 billion such complaints. Although telemarketers are legally prohibited from calling numbers that are on the National Do Not Call Registry, Sen. Schumer says that the list has done little to stem the tide. “It’s eye-popping, it’s annoying, and it’s got to stop,” he told reporters. He has promised to work hard in order to get a vote on the proposed legislation before the end of the year.

How Will the TRACED Act Stop Robocalls?

Aside from requiring providers of voice services to authenticate telemarketing calls that pass through their networks, using a type of caller ID system known as the STIR/SHAKEN authentication framework, the law would increase penalties for violators, including forfeiture of assets and fines of up to $10,000 per violation. Regulators would also be given additional time to track down scammers and make it easier to prosecute those making illegal robocalls.

Under the bill, internet and cell phone providers would have up to 18 months to implement the STIR/SHAKEN protocol once the law takes effect.

The House of Representatives has passed a similar bill. The final legislation is intended to address the problem of robocalls getting worse and provide much-need relief for beleaguered Americans.

About the TCPA

The TCPA was passed in 1991 at a time when new technologies were making it easier for telemarketers to contact thousands of consumers at once. It has been amended several times over the past 30 years to accommodate new communication technologies, including emails and SMS (text messaging). The law makes it illegal for companies to contact consumers without their express permission.

Join a Free TCPA Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you were contacted on your cell phone by a company via an unsolicited text message (text spam) or prerecorded voice message (robocall), you may be eligible for compensation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Get a Free Case Evaluation Now

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.

Join a Free TCPA Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you were contacted on your cell phone by a company via an unsolicited text message (text spam) or prerecorded voice message (robocall), you may be eligible for compensation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Get a Free Case Evaluation Now

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.