August 6, 2025
FCC Ramps Up Robocall Mitigation Compliance Enforcement
Complaints about spam calls are down for the third straight year, according to the FTC. However, that doesn’t mean this infuriating problem has gone away for good. Every day, robocallers continue to harass Americans, hoping to trick them into revealing their most personal information.
Thankfully, the FCC has stepped up enforcement efforts against voice service providers (VSPs) that fail to comply with robocall mitigation measures. These companies now have to file an annual certification showing that they are preventing spam calls — or potentially pay a penalty of $1,000.
Robocall Mitigation Compliance Penalties
As the FCC cracks down on robocalls, VSPs face fines of $1,000 if they fail to keep information up to date on the Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD) every year. There are even tougher penalties for companies that submit false or inaccurate information to the database, with those caught potentially having to pay $10,000.
“Companies using America’s phone networks must be actively involved in protecting consumers from scammers,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “We are tightening our rules to ensure voice service providers know their responsibilities and help stop junk robocalls.”
In December 2024, the FCC released an order stating that 2,411 VSPs failed to reasonably mitigate robocalls on their networks and could face removal from the RMD. The companies had 14 days to improve their mitigation plans or explain why they should stay on the database within 14 days of the order’s publication in the Federal Register, which was December 17.
Going forward, all downstream VSPs must monitor the RMD and stop traffic from companies removed from the database to adhere to these new robocall mitigation compliance standards.
Tier-1 Carriers Are Signing Higher Attestation Ratings
Tier-1 carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon, continue making progress to maximize the benefits of STIR/SHAKEN implementation, according to the TNS 2025 Robocall Investigation Report. These companies have signed 86% of calls through their networks, with 95% of those communications signed at an “A-level” attestation rating. This means a carrier successfully verified a caller and their phone number.
The same isn’t true for non-top-tier carriers — smaller or regional VSPs that lack the market dominance of larger companies. These carriers often create loopholes, allowing bad actors to facilitate robocalls and potentially cause harm to consumers.
TNS said in a press release:
“Despite tier-1 carriers’ positive momentum, the percentage of signed calls between non-top carriers fell by nearly 25% in 2024. Robocall bad actors have exploited these providers’ reliance on legacy TDM circuits — and the dropping of the original STIR/SHAKEN information — to hide malicious, unwanted robocall traffic.”
Non-IP Network Loophole
The FCC has identified a problem with the STIR/SHAKEN framework — the non-IP network loophole. When a call is routed through an old non-IP network, SIP headers can’t verify its origin, making it easier for robocalls to bypass caller ID authentication tools.
To close this loophole, the FCC announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking back in April. Its objective is to ensure that new technology doesn’t let robocallers exploit outdated infrastructure and circumvent call authentication methods.
Protecting Your Calls to Consumers
If you communicate with customers over the phone, take note of the above developments. If VSPs can’t mitigate robocalls properly, consumers are less likely to pick up calls from genuine companies like yours. Here are some ways to protect your customer communications:
Work with trusted partners
Only work with trusted network partners that deliver your calls properly. The best VSPs comply with STIR/SHAKEN standards and fulfill other compliance requirements laid down by the FCC and other government agencies.
When you work with the right network partner, you can potentially increase your connection rate by improving the accuracy of your caller ID. This preserves your reputation and helps you move more prospects through your sales and marketing funnels.
Vet your customers
If you offer services in the telecom industry, you’ll need to vet every customer by following KYC standards. This includes confirming someone’s identity before giving them access to your tools and identifying any unlawful behaviors as soon as possible.
Failing to adhere to these standards may have a huge impact on your brand reputation. For example, allowing a bad actor to access your software could result in a data breach, causing customers to lose trust in your company.
Audit your RCD
Auditing your Rich Call Data (RCD) regularly lets customers know who’s really on the other end of the line when you make outbound calls. Take some time to check that RCD, such as your organization’s name and logo, is up to date and remove any inaccurate information.
Check your attestation ratings
Maintaining high attestation ratings prevents your calls from getting a negative label, such as “Potential spam call,” on someone’s caller ID. It’s a good idea to check your ratings with a service like Caller ID Reputation.
The three attestation ratings are Full Attestation, Partial Attestation, and Gateway Attestation. Aim for Full Attestation to reach more consumers.
Call Your Customers With Confidence
Among other developments in the telecom industry, the FCC has introduced penalties for VSPs that fall short of robocall mitigation compliance efforts. However, even with these new fines, you can’t always trust providers to do the right thing.
Improve customer trust by taking matters into your own hands. Caller ID Reputation has a wide range of call monitoring and management tools that protect your business. Get started today.
