On October 27, 2022, the FCC adopted a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) to consider ways to combat illegally spoofed robocalls that pass through non-IP networks. The FCC has previously adopted and implemented the STIR/SHAKEN program to reduce the number of spoofing scams by improving the accuracy of robocall blocking and consumer warning tools, helping law enforcement officials to accurately trace calls back to the originators, and providing consumers with more reliable calling ID information; the NOI is intended to address a “gap” in the program – events that cannot currently be tracked on non-IP networks because voice service providers are unable to add or maintain digital information related to caller identification for non-IP calls.
The NOI seeks public comment on “the prevalence of non-IP technology in the country’s phone networks generally and the impact that technology has on the problem of illegal robocalls,” as well as alternative technologies or policies that may enable caller ID authentication over non-IP networks, information that will allow the FCC to study the nexus between non-IP caller ID authentication and the IP transition, and steps that can be taken to encourage an industry-wide transition to IP networks, in an effort to move closer to achieving the goals of the STIR/SHAKEN program.