In a move to fight growing concern over robocalls, Sprint struck a deal with TNS’ Cequint subsidiary to develop enhanced caller ID solution
Sprint is looking to tackle growing concerns over unwanted “robocalls” through a new agreement with Transaction Network Services subsidiary Cequint.
The partnership calls for Sprint and Cequint to work on developing an enhanced caller identification solution expected to be integrated by the carrier later this year.
“We are always looking for ways to provide our customers with the best experience, and protecting them from unwanted robocalls is one of them,” said Mark Yarkosky, director of product management at Sprint, in a statement. “Cequint’s successful work with mobile operators is evolving the way people connect on their mobile devices and we couldn’t be happier about working with them on this important initiative.”
The agreement follows up on increased government scrutiny of automated calls placed to mobile devices, which the Federal Communications Commission noted that along with telemarketer calls is the No. 1 source of consumer complaints into the agency. Current rules stipulate such nonemergency calls are not supposed to be made to mobile phones without the subscriber’s permission.
Consumer Affairs estimated 2.3 billion robocalls were made in the U.S. in January 2016. The areas that received the most robocalls were Atlanta (44.4 million in the 404 area code and 33.6 million in the 678 area code); Houston (36.3 million); Dallas (29.9 million); and Birmingham, Alabama, (25.7 million).
In July, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler asked AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson to lead a national task force to fight robocalls, which is working on accelerating the development and adoption of new tools and solutions to fight those calls, and with making recommendations to the FCC on the role government can play. Wheeler said in a statement that he has written to the CEOs of major wireless and wireline phone companies calling on them to offer call-blocking services to their customers at no charge.
The FCC last month hosted its first meeting of the Robocall Strike Force, where a 60-day timeline was set for the submission of recommendations. Results from those recommendations are expected to be released next month.
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