Apple, AT&T and Google to Work on Robocall Crackdown

Almost 30 main technology and communication companies revealed that they are joining the U.S. government to onslaught on “robocalls,” automated, prerecorded phone calls that watchdogs have considered a “menace.”

Apple, AT&T and Google to Work on Robocall Crackdown

AT&T Inc (T.N), Google parent Alphabet Inc, Apple Inc (AAPL.O), Verizon Communications Inc (VZ.N) and Comcast Corp (CMCSA.O) are amid participants of the “Robocall Strike Force” that apprehended its first meeting with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission.

“The incursion force will report to the FCC by Oct. 19 on concrete plans to hasten the growth and assumption of new tools and solutions.”

Said AT&T Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson, Chairman of the group.

The strike force anticipates to implement Caller ID confirmation criteria to benefit block calls from bluffed phone numbers and deliberate a “Do Not Originate” list. It would block spoofers from satirizing genuine phone numbers from governments, banks or others.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, in July commended foremost companies to take new action to block robocalls, which often come from telemarketers or scam artists.

“This scourge must stop.”

Wheeler said calling robocalls the No. 1 grievance from customers.

The FCC does not necessitate robocall blocking and sieving but has sturdily stimulated phone service providers to offer those services free of cost.

“We have to come out of this with a comprehensive play book for all of us to go execute.”

Stephenson said.

“We have calls that are perfectly legal, but unwanted, like telemarketers and public opinion surveyors. At the other end of the spectrum, we have millions of calls that are blatantly illegal.”

He further stated.

Joan Marsh, AT&T vice president of federal regulatory issues, termed the problem difficult.

“We have been wrangling with this problem long enough to know there is no silver bullet. Nothing by itself is going to do it.”

She said.

Other companies participating are Blackberry Ltd, British Telecommunications Plc, Charter Communications Inc, Frontier Communications, LG Electronics Inc, Microsoft Corp, Nokia Corp, Qualcomm Inc, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and many more.