You Can Block Robotic Calls by Default With Your Phone Company, but It Will Cost You
If you’re getting more calls from robots than real calls, you can check out Thursday’s new FCC ruling . Immediately thereafter, telephone companies will be allowed (and encouraged) to automatically block calls from robots.
Until now, consumers have been able to subscribe to robotic call blocking, but phone companies have not set this feature as the default for everyone. Under the new rule, telephone companies can automatically block unwanted calls if their customers are informed of the practice and have the ability to refuse them. Companies can also offer services to block calls from any number that does not appear on the subscriber’s contact lists.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai explained in aYoutubevideo that curbing fraudulent calls from robots is his top consumer protection priority. “Almost every American who has a phone, even at the FCC, gets one,” he said with an expression that indicated that perhaps most of the calls came directly to him, and he was just tired of it. shit.
Pai also said that phone companies are expected to introduce improved caller ID technology later this year, which will make it even easier to distinguish a spam call from the one you really want to receive.
Don’t you dare assume it will be free
One aspect of the regulation that is unclear is how much it will cost customers to automatically block calls using robots for their accounts. Pai previously commented , “We certainly encourage companies to offer this for free,” but there’s all the power of a breeze to it.
All four major mobile operators offer a paid version of the call blocking features that could very well be a staple of your monthly bill if you stick with it.
- Verizon offers Call Filter, an app-based call blocker that offers basic features for free, but charges $ 2.99 per line for advanced features like identifying unknown numbers.
- AT&T provides customers with free fraud blocking and suspected spam alerts, and charges $ 3.99 per month for extended caller ID and reverse number lookup.
- Sprint’s Premium Caller ID service automatically verifies robotic callers for $ 2.99 per month.
- T-Mobile’s Scam ID and Scam Block services are free, but Name ID, which identifies phone numbers and sends selected call categories directly to voicemail, costs $ 4 per month.
Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile are making it clear that these services are only available to postpaid customers.
Of course, besides the big guys, there are a number of apps you can download and techniques you can use to fight robots on your own. Until then, keep a close eye on your phone bill over the next few months for any changes to default service offerings and bill increases.