With new law, FCC hopes to make ‘significant dent’ in robocall crackdown

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Now that President Donald Trump has signed legislation aimed at stopping illegal robocalls, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hopes the agency will make a significant dent in putting an end to the problem.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the TRACED Act is designed to help them crack down on robocalls.

“It’s one of the things that’s generated the most complaints at the FCC, year after year, after year,” Pai said.

Pai said the law will require phone companies to develop ways to detect robocallers and directs the FCC to issue rules that allow phone companies to block those robocalls before they reach consumers.

“Americans deserve the phone calls they want to get and deserve some peace from those they don’t want to get,” Pai said.

Last year, Americans received nearly 60 billion illegal calls — and Senator John Thune said no one is immune to them.

“Scammers use these calls to successfully prey on vulnerable populations,” Thune, R-South Dakota, said.

Thune said the bill won’t provide an overnight fix to the issue but is a start.

“It won’t prevent all illegal robocalling, but it’s a big step in the right direction,” Thune said.

While the law is currently in effect, it’s unclear how soon consumers will see a change.