SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Attorney General’s Office and the Utah Division of Consumer Protection urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fight back against the scourge of illegal robocalls by moving up the deadline for certain smaller companies to implement certain caller ID requirements. Thursday, Utah joined a bipartisan coalition of 51 states and territories in submitting comments to the FCC.
A joint statement from Solicitor General Melissa Holyoak and Utah Division of Consumer Protection Director Daniel O’Bannon said, “Fighting these pesky robocalls has been and will continue to be an ongoing priority for us. Robocalls are among the top complaints our offices hear. We want to use the most advanced techniques and technology to continuously make progress. But we understand this is an ongoing fight— and we won’t stop until the calls stop.”
Under the TRACED Act, which became law in 2019, voice service providers are required to implement STIR/SHAKEN technology on their networks. This 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 and smaller companies were given an extension until June 2023.
However, some of the same smaller 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 the STIR/SHAKEN technology in place, these smaller companies are failing to take a necessary step to minimize the continued onslaught of illegally spoofed robocalls that harm residents.
The coalition of attorneys general is asking the FCC to require these companies to implement the STIR/SHAKEN technology as soon as possible and no later than June 30, 2022.
will@cvradio.com
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