Firm Timeline, Deadlines Needed for Blocked Call Codes

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should require voice service providers to transition to the use of specific codes to notify callers of a blocked call, CUNA and other organizations wrote to the FCC Tuesday. This includes providing a specific date to use the required codes.

The FCC requires voice service providers to notify callers of blocked calls as of Jan. 1. It also permits voice service providers to begin using SIP Code 603 to provide the blocked call notice.

CUNA believes the 603 code does not provide adequate information for callers to seek redress for erroneously blocked calls and has urged the FCC to require that SIP Codes 607 and 608 be used.

“The Commission should require Voice Service Providers to transition to SIP Codes 607 and 608, request the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions share an outline of anticipated progress toward finalization of these codes, and set a firm deadline for required use of these codes to provide immediate notification of blocking,” the letter reads.

“SIP Codes 607 and 608 are superior to SIP Code 603, which does not include information that would allow the caller to recognize immediately that its call has been subject to network-level blocking. Modifications to make SIP Code 603 actionable to callers would require substantial work, require approval of a modified header from a standards setting body, and likely consume at least as much time as finalizing and implementing SIP Codes 607 and 608,” it adds.

The organizations smaller financial institutions, health care providers, retail outlets, and others will find it difficult to find the capacity to shift through failed call responses to determine the nature of each one.

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