UPDATE 5/24/2021

The FCC voted to adopt this rule at its meeting on May 21, 2021.

Late last month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Third Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) about the adoption of STIR/SHAKEN call authentication protocols. In the FNPRM, the FCC discusses the possibility of moving up the deadline for small voice service providers to adopt the protocols.

Currently, the adoption deadline for providers with fewer than 100,000 subscriber lines is June 30, 2023. The FNPRM proposes moving that deadline up to June 30, 2022. The deadline for large voice service providers is June 30 of this year.

The rationale for the change is notable. The FNPRM explains that small providers had originally been given two extra years to implement the call authentication protocols because of how the technological challenges involved in doing so are more difficult for smaller companies. But the FCC is considering changing the deadline because “[n]ew evidence suggests… that a subset of small voice service providers appears to be originating a large and increasing quantity of illegal robocalls.”

If the FNPRM is adopted, the FCC will begin accepting comments and reply comments before potentially finalizing the rule.