FCC Combats Robocallers' Abuse of Phone Numbering Resources (FCC press release)

[eppur_se_muova]

FCC Combats Robocallers’ Abuse of Phone Numbering Resources

Direct Access to Numbering Tools Will Now Require Robocall, Public Safety, and National
Security Certification and Disclosure Compliance from VoIP Providers with Direct Access
WASHINGTON, December 18, 2025—The Federal Communications Commission today adopted
changes to its rules to prevent phone numbering resources from being abused by robocallers. While
the agency has built up its STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication rules and call traceback efforts,
bad actors have leveraged the proliferation of VoIP providers with access to numbering services to
bypass these protections and continue to bombard consumers with robocalls. The FCC today applied
its robocall, public safety, and national security compliance certification and disclosure requirements
to all interconnected VoIP providers that directly access U.S. numbering resources.

Voice service providers have access to resources which allow for the use of different phone numbers
by different callers. These numbering resources are critical for the operation of an organized phone
network ecosystem. However, those same critical resources have been misused by robocallers to
bypass consumer protections and transmit scam calls. Bad actors are known to obtain large
quantities of numbers to avoid robocall mitigation measures to continue exploiting American
consumers.

The Order adopted by the Commission establishes rules requiring all interconnected VoIP providers
with direct access to phone numbers to certify and disclose information about robocall compliance,
public safety, and national security. These are requirements that the Commission had established
previously but only applied them prospectively to new applicants leaving a gap in the FCC’s robocall
protections because the then-existing authorization holders were not required to make these
certifications. Today’s common-sense decision ensures that every VoIP provider with a direct access
authorization is subject to the same rules to protect consumers. Affected direct access authorization
holders will be required to file the updated requirements within 30 days of the effective date of these
rules in order to maintain their authorizations.

In addition to adopting these rules, the Commission will seek further comment on how else it can
bolster numbering resource protections. The Commission is specifically refreshing the record on
how to best reclaim numbering resources from interconnected VoIP providers that have had their
VoIP numbering authorization revoked or terminated. It will also build a record on how to restrict
VoIP number authorizations for entities that pose national security risks, and thus appear on the
FCC’s Covered List, or use equipment that poses such risks.

Action by the Commission December 18, 2025 by Third Report and Order and Third Further Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 25-86). Chairman Carr, Commissioners Gomez and Trusty
approving. Chairman Carr and Commissioner Trusty issuing separate statements.
WC Docket Nos. 13-97, 07-243, 20-67
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Media Contact: [e-mail] / [phone]
@FCC / www.fcc.gov
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pdf: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-416496A1.pdf


Hopefully this will help eliminate quite a few robocalls !