Using Technology to Stop Robocalls and Protect Consumers

Like everyone else, Charter wants annoying robocalls calls to end. That’s why we’re working hard to stop unwanted and illegal calls that are not only a nuisance but can also be a security threat. Every year, the FCC receives approximately 200,000 complaints about robocalls, making up approximately 60 percent of all complaints the FCC receives.¹

To address the concerns of consumers FCC Chairman Pai has made combatting illegal robocalls the Commission’s top consumer protection priority and is taking steps to ensure consumers and providers have more tools at their disposal to address them including calling for the uniform adoption of the call authentication protocol known as SHAKEN (Signature-based Handling of Asserted information using toKENs)/STIR (Secure Telephone Identity Revisited). The call to implement SHAKEN/STIR has also been voiced by several members of Congress and both the House and the Senate are considering robocall legislation.

Lately, it has become easier and cheaper for robocallers to “spoof” caller ID information, meaning robocallers can fake the phone number that shows up on a customer’s caller ID. Robocallers then are able to hide their true identity from consumers and circumvent traditional protections against the practice. SHAKEN/STIR is a digital protocol aimed at combating call “spoofing” and other typical techniques used by spam robocallers. It relies on providers to assign and verify each phone number that originates or passes through their network to indicate whether an incoming call is connected to a real person or entity.

Charter is committed to offering our customers a broad range of tools including call blocking, screening, and identification features like the Nomorobo app to help them control the calls they receive. And like other voice providers, we’re part of the industry-wide effort to implement SHAKEN/STIR. Rolling out this call authentication system has been a top priority for Charter, and we will be able to sign and verify calls on our network by the end of the year.

Our primary objective is providing a superior customer experience, which includes protecting customer’s privacy and security.  Combating robocalls is central to that mission and we thank Chairman Pai for his leadership on this issue. We also look forward to continuing to work with the FCC and Congress to stop robocalls and enhance consumer protection.

Footnotes:

1. Federal Communications Commission. (2019). The FCC’s Push to Combat Robocalls & Spoofing. Retrieved from https://www.fcc.gov/about-fcc/fcc-initiatives/fccs-push-combat-robocalls-spoofing