The FCC must protect consumers from unwanted telemarketing and debt collection voicemails

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Americans are fed up with robocalls and telemarketing messages. In 2020, the Federal Trade Commission received 2.8 million complaints about robocalls. Voicemail messages are just as invasive, expensive and annoying as calls and texts to cell phones. Yet, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is being asked to exempt ringless voicemail messages from the federal regulation that makes them illegal, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

Granting this request would allow telemarketing and debt collection messages to overwhelm consumers’ voicemail inboxes. Unlike their ability to limit calls and texts, consumers have no way to limit, restrict or block unwanted voicemail messages from ringless callers. These messages appear to be delivered using technology that is identical to that used for texts, so there is no technological or legal reason for them not to be covered by the same rules under the TCPA.

Approximately 25% of the U.S. population has cell phone plans with limited minutes. Every call for these consumers, even messages sent directly to their voicemail, counts against those precious minutes, reducing the available minutes for essential life tasks and communications. Even consumers on the National Do Not Call Registry could potentially be bombarded by telemarketers should this request be granted.

Tell the FCC to keep unwanted voicemails out of consumers’ inboxes. Tell the FCC to deny the request to omit ringless voicemails from the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

To submit a comment to the FCC:

• Copy and edit as you see fit one of the three sample comment letters below in preparation for pasting it into the FCC's Brief Comments box.
• Go to this website: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express
• Type in 02-278 on the proceedings line.
• Fill in your information (all information you put in the form will be public).
• Paste in your letter in the box labeled Brief Comments.
• Continue to Review Screen to submit your comments.
• The deadline to submit a comment is Oct. 4, 2021.

 

[Sample comment letter 1]

Re: CG Docket No. 02-278

I’m writing to ask the FCC to side with consumers: Please do not make the unwanted robocall problem worse by weakening consumer protections and opening the door to ringless voicemail messages from telemarketers and debt collectors.

These messages cost low-income and pay-as-you-go cellular phone users money and time! Consumers use up minutes of their cell phone plans, or are charged separate fees, to check and erase these harassing voicemail messages. Allowing ringless voicemails to flood my inbox also means I might miss important messages regarding my child or a loved one’s safety. My landline and cell phone numbers already receive a significant number of disruptive robocalls that interrupt my day and my sleep—an increase in voicemail notifications ringing during all hours of the day and night would be additional harassment.

Enough is enough! Please limit these pesky telemarketer and debt collector communication tactics! Please make sure ringless voicemails are kept illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.  

Thank you.

 

[Sample comment letter 2]

Re: CG Docket No. 02-278

Americans are already fed up with unwanted calls to their cell phones and landlines, which have become increasingly common in recent years. Please don’t allow consumers to be further harassed because of a technicality. The technology at issue—ringless voicemail (RVM)—delivers deliberately targeted, pre-recorded telemarketing and debt collection voice messages to the voicemail boxes of mobile phone users without giving consumers like me the opportunity to answer—or block— the incoming call. Ringless voicemails should be deemed illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.  

Unwanted and unsolicited ringless voicemails cost consumers money and time! I worry that I will miss legitimate personal or work messages due to being bombarded with ringless voicemail messages. Please stand up for American consumers and keep ringless voicemail messages illegal.

Thank you.

 

[Sample comment letter 3]

Re: CG Docket No. 02-278

Ringless voicemail messages are just as invasive, expensive and annoying as calls and texts to cell phones and landlines. If the FCC allows these direct-to-voicemail calls, consumers like me will undoubtedly be inundated with unwanted messages. Just as consumers have started to ignore landline and cell phone calls from unknown numbers, consumers will begin to ignore voicemail messages, making it challenging to discover important messages from work and loved ones. Small business owners, doctors and caregivers who rely on their cell phones to communicate with customers and patients will be forced to spend time (and productivity) sorting through scam voicemail messages.

Consumers have no way to limit, restrict or block unwanted voicemail messages from particular callers. These ringless voicemail messages appear to be delivered using technology that is identical to that used for texts, so there is no technological or legal reason for them not to be covered by the same rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

Please stand with consumers and outlaw ringless voicemail messages under the TCPA.

Thank you.