Media Contact: 
Will Wiquist, (202) 418-0509
will.wiquist@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
FCC SEEKS RELIABLE CALL AUTHENTICATION SYSTEM
Verifying Callers Would Help Stop Many Unwanted and Fraudulent Calls
  --
WASHINGTON, July 13, 2017 – In its latest step to combat annoying and malicious robocalls, 
the Federal Communications Commission is seeking public comment on standards that will help 
differentiate legitimate phone calls from those that attempt to trick consumers through caller ID 
spoofing.
The Commission will explore ways to set up a reliable system to verify that a phone call is really 
coming from the phone number that it claims to be.  Many malicious robocallers hide their true 
originating phone number in order to evade call-blocking or filtering tools and trick consumers
about a call’s true source.  A reliable authentication system would help confront this behavior and 
strengthen call-blocking.  Some carriers and third-party developers today offer consumers various
services to block or filter unwanted calls. Improved call authentication would provide another 
tool to identify spoofing and improve the effectiveness of these services. 
Unwanted robocalls and telemarketing calls are the number one consumer complaint received by 
the Commission each year, totaling around 200,000 each year – or around 60 percent of the total 
consumer complaints.  Today’s action, formally a Notice of Inquiry, asks important legal, policy 
and technological questions about call authentication frameworks.  The Commission seeks public 
comment on these questions.  Following this public comment period, the Commission may move 
forward on further actions such as rulemakings. 
Today’s phone networks involve many more providers and systems than when they were 
designed and built.  These changes have benefits for consumers but also create new challenges.  
One challenge is how carriers and their customers can verify that a call came from the caller it 
claims to be when that call has passed through various carriers and technologically diverse 
networks,.  
A recent report from an industry-led robocall initiative included a request for the Commission to 
work with the private sector to accelerate adoption of network-wide standards to verify and 
authenticate caller ID for calls carried over Internet Protocol (IP) networks.  Adoption of 
universal standards could result in much-improved reliability of caller ID, allowing consumers to 
again trust the caller ID information they see when receiving calls.  To review the industry-led 
robocall group’s April report to the FCC, go here: https://go.usa.gov/x5NKZ
Action by the Commission July 13, 2017 by Notice of Inquiry (FCC 17-89). Chairman Pai, 
Commissioners Clyburn and O’Rielly approving and issuing separate statements.
WC Docket No. 17-97
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes 
official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).