Attorney General Herring pushes for faster implementation of technology to end robocalls
RICHMOND, Va. (WFXR) – We all have dealt with them. The phone rings. There’s a long pause and then…you’re listening to a pre-recorded pitch about, well…anything.
On Monday, Attorney General Mark Herring urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fight back against these annoyances by moving up the deadline for smaller telephone companies to implement caller ID technology.
Herring joined a bipartisan coalition of 51 attorneys general in submitting comments to the FCC.
“Virginians continue to be plagued by illegal robocalls that are not only annoying but can also potentially scam consumers out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. This technology has proven to be effective in reducing the number of robocalls that consumers receive, which is why I am calling on the FCC to move up the implementation date for smaller phone companies. My colleagues and I have worked tirelessly to put a stop to these annoying and illegal robocalls and protect consumers, but it’s imperative that tech companies doe their part as well.”
Mark Herring, Virginia’s Attorney General
Under the 2019 TRACED Act, phone companies are required to implement STIR/SHAKEN technology on their networks.
Theis caller ID authentication technology helps ensure that telephone calls are originating from verified numbers, not spoofed sources.
Large companies were required to implement the technology by June 2021 and smaller phone companies were given an extension until June 2023.
Some of the smaller phone companies that are benefiting from this extension are also responsible for originating or facilitating high volumes of illegal robocalls that spam Americans and lead to financial or personal data loss.
Without this technology in place, these smaller companies are failing to take the necessary step to minimize the continued onslaught of illegally spoofed robocalls that harm residents.
Herring and his colleagues are asking the FCC to require these companies to implement this technology as soon as possible and no later than June 30, 2022.
Gloss