The Defense Credit Union Council (DCUC) yesterday joined several national trade associations in submitting a comment letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in response to its proposed rulemaking aimed at strengthening tools to combat illegal robocalls and improve consumer trust in voice communications.
The letter was submitted by the American Bankers Association (ABA), American Financial Services Association, America’s Credit Unions, Bank Policy Institute (BPI), Consumer Bankers Association, Defense Credit Union Council, Mortgage Bankers Association, and Student Loan Servicing Alliance. The associations commended the FCC for proposing enhancements to caller identification and call authentication technologies designed to help consumers better understand who is calling and make informed decisions about whether to answer.
The FCC’s proposal seeks to improve the availability and accuracy of caller ID information, advance the use of Rich Call Data (RCD) to transmit verified caller names on IP networks, and explore additional solutions to curb fraudulent and spoofed calls.
In the letter, the group expressed support for the FCC’s efforts to strengthen the STIR/SHAKEN call authentication framework, which plays a critical role in keeping bad actors off calling networks and promoting consumer confidence in legitimate calls. The associations urged the FCC to finalize rules that clearly define the steps voice service providers must take to comply with existing requirements to prevent the transmission of illegal calls.
The group also encouraged the FCC to require providers to verify that callers have the legal right to use the telephone numbers displayed on caller ID, emphasizing that proper verification is essential to the responsible deployment of RCD. While supporting the FCC’s initiatives to address illegal calls originating outside the United States, the joint letter included recommendations that the Commission carefully study the impact of its proposals on lawful businesses to avoid unintended consequences.
Additionally, the associations supported the FCC’s proposed reforms to outdated Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) rules and urged the Commission to modify or rescind the “revoke all” rule, citing the need for clarity and balance between consumer protections and legitimate communications.
“DCUC strongly supports efforts that enhance call authentication, protect consumers, and preserve trust in legitimate communications, particularly for credit unions serving military members, veterans, and their families,” says Jason Stverak, DCUC Chief Advocacy Officer. “Thoughtful implementation of these reforms is critical to ensuring both consumer protection and operational certainty for responsible institutions.”
DCUC remains committed to working with regulators and industry stakeholders to combat illegal robocalls while ensuring that lawful, mission-critical communications can continue without disruption.