Here’s why you may start receiving fewer Robocalls

Your phone company may start blocking robocalls without your needing to ask for it.

On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission passed a ruling that allows and encourages phone companies to block robocalls by default.

“We think these actions will help consumers in the near term and the long term to get the peace and the quiet that they deserve,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.

At the moment many phone companies offer services that block robocalls, but consumers have to specifically ask and often pay for it. The ruling requires companies to inform consumers of the change and give them an option to opt out of having their calls blocked.

Robocalls are a rising nuisance in the U.S., and many of them are illegal scams. The call-blocking company YouMail estimates that there were some 4.7 billion robocalls placed in the U.S. in May alone.

The FCC wants phone companies to block robocalls by default. “We think these actions will help consumers … to get the peace and the quiet that they deserve,” said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. More at NPR.com