FCC to Grade Phone Companies on Ability to Block Illegal Robocalls

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced plans to launch a robocall mitigation scorecard to grade the effectiveness of phone companies in blocking illegal spam calls. The initiative aims to provide public transparency regarding which providers are successfully protecting their customers from fraudulent calls.

The proposed tool will rate domestic voice service providers that serve retail customers, specifically including wireless, wireline, and VoIP providers, while excluding wholesale or intermediate providers. According to the FCC Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, the scorecard is designed to "empower consumers and encourage providers to continue to combat illegal robocalls" by offering a public assessment of their efforts. To determine these ratings, the FCC is considering several grading formats, including a numerical scale, traditional letter grades, or risk classifications categorized as low, medium, or high.

A Shift Toward Outcome-Based Metrics

Unlike previous administrative checklists, the FCC intends to use a combination of conduct-based metrics—the specific steps a company has taken—and outcome-based metrics, which measure the actual reduction in illegal calls. The agency is currently seeking public comment on the specific data sources and metrics that will define these grades.

Proposed data sources include consumer complaints filed with the FCC and FTC, as well as data from the Industry Traceback Group. The agency also plans to utilize STIR/SHAKEN implementation filings found in the Robocall Mitigation Database to verify how providers are handling Caller ID authentication.

Context of the Crackdown

This move follows years of regulatory efforts to curb the volume of illegal robocalls, including the 2019 robocall crackdown law and the widespread rollout of STIR/SHAKEN technology for Caller ID verification. The scorecard mirrors other recent FCC transparency initiatives, such as the requirement for broadband labels that force internet service providers to clearly disclose pricing and speeds to consumers.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr emphasized the urgency of the project, stating that "combatting the scourge of illegal robocalls remains the FCC’s top consumer protection priority."

Industry and Consumer Implications

By making spam-blocking performance public, the FCC hopes to create a market incentive for carriers to harden their security measures. The goal is to allow consumers to choose their service providers based on a proven ability to filter out scams and daily annoyances.

However, some advocates question if the tool will drive a mass exodus of customers. Teresa Murray of PIRG noted that switching phone providers is not as simple as changing grocery stores, suggesting that the scorecard's primary utility may be "shaming" underperforming providers into improving their systems rather than triggering a competitive shift in the market.

Next Steps

The FCC is now awaiting public feedback to finalize the metrics and data sources that will populate the scorecard. It remains to be seen which specific grading method the agency will adopt and how frequently the ratings will be updated to reflect changing spam trends.