The American Bankers Association continued its advocacy to push the Federal Communications Commission to issue new rules to help stem the flow of illegal texts and calls to consumers, sending a letter to the agency last week after a recent meeting with Commissioner Brendan Carr’s staff. The FCC had been scheduled to consider the new rules during its meeting on Sept. 26, but the rules were removed from the agenda.
ABA’s letter follows a correspondence sent to the FCC last by 52 state bankers associations, which urged the agency to adopt the new rules.
The rules under consideration would require mobile wireless providers that originate text messages to block all texts from a particular source when notified by the FCC of illegal texts from that source, except under limited circumstances. Existing rules require terminating providers — but not originating providers — to block all texts from a particular number when notified by the FCC of illegal texts from that number. In prior comments, ABA urged the FCC to expand this requirement to cover originating providers.
The rules also would require mobile wireless providers to offer email-to-text as an opt-in service. In previous comments, ABA warned the FCC that bad actors are increasingly using email-to-text as a primary means to place a large volume of illegal texts quickly.
ABA continues to ask bankers to write to submit their own comment to urge the FCC to adopt the new rules.
