Federal Communications Commission	"FCC  XX-XXX"


STATEMENT OF
ACTING CHAIRWOMAN JESSICA ROSENWORCEL

Re: 	Numbering Policies for Modern Communications, WC Docket No. 13-97, Telephone Number Requirements for IP-Enabled Service Providers, WC Docket No. 07-243, Implementation of TRACED Act Section 6(a) — Knowledge of Customers by Entities with Access to Numbering Resources, WC Docket No. 20-67, Process Reform for Executive Branch Review of Certain FCC Applications and Petitions Involving Foreign Ownership, IB Docket No. 16-155, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (August 5, 2021).

If you want to stop robocalls, you need to look far and wide.  You need to identify every policy and every practice that makes it possible for these nuisance calls to get through.  That’s what we do here.  Thanks to the work of the Robocall Response Team and the authority provided in the TRACED Act, we are taking a fresh look at how to improve our numbering policies to protect against scammers using Voice over Internet Protocol services.
	Six years ago, the Federal Communications Commission decided to allow interconnected VoIP providers to obtain telephone numbers directly, rather than acquire them through a traditional telecommunications carrier.  This provided real benefits, like greater competition.  But this process needs more oversight.  Because those picking up these numbers should not be in the business of facilitating robocalls, which is all too easy to do with VoIP technology.  So today we propose new guardrails.  Specifically, we propose to condition direct access to numbering resources on these providers certifying that they will not assist or facilitate illegal robocalls or spoofing and that they take affirmative steps to stop the origination, termination, and transmission of these calls.  We also propose that they register in our Robocall Mitigation Database.  In addition, we broadly recommend updates to our policies to protect numbering resources.  These include cracking down on access stimulation and proving compliance with 911 obligations before obtaining numbers.  We also propose an update to Executive Branch coordination when VoIP providers with substantial foreign ownership seek direct access to numbers.  
	For their work on this proceeding, I’d like to thank Pam Arluk, Matt Collins, Lynne Engledow, Justin Faulb, Victoria Goldberg, Dan Kahn, Melissa Kirkel, Ed Krachmer, Al Lewis, Michael Nemcik, Jordan Reth, Michelle Sclater, Doug Slotten, and Gil Strobel of the Wireline Competition Bureau; Jeff Goldthorp, Debra Jordan, Nikki McGinnis, Erika Olsen, and Austin Randazzo of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau; Denise Coca, Kathleen Collins, David Krech, Arthur Lechtman, and Jim Schlichting of the International Bureau; Patrick Brogan, Eugene Kiselev, Richard Kwiatkowski, Mark Montano, Chuck Needy, Eric Ralph, Michelle Schaefer, Emily Talaga, and Shane Taylor of the Office of Economics and Analytics; Lisa Gelb, Kristi Thompson, Shana Yates, and Lisa Zaina of the Enforcement Bureau; Jerusha Burnett, Aaron Garza, Kurt Schroeder, Mark Stone, and Kristi Thornton of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau; and Malena Barzilai, Rick Mallen, Linda Oliver, and Bill Richardson of the Office of General Counsel.
2