FCC Pushes to Bring Call Center Jobs Home, Fight Foreign Scams
Published Date: 4/23/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The FCC wants to bring more customer service jobs back to the U.S. by limiting foreign call centers and making sure any that remain follow tougher rules. This will help protect your personal info and fight scam calls from overseas. Companies offering phone, internet, and TV services need to get ready to follow these new rules, with public feedback due by late June 2026.
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 9 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Sensitive Transactions Handled in U.S.
The FCC proposes that certain sensitive transactions—such as those involving passwords, multi-factor authentication information, Social Security numbers, and bank or credit card information—must be handled only at call centers located within the United States. Calls or communications that must be handled domestically would not count toward any percentage cap on foreign call center use.
Cap on Foreign Call Center Use
The FCC proposes to limit the share of customer service calls that providers may make from or answer at foreign call centers. The rule would apply to providers of telecommunications, CMRS, interconnected VoIP, cable television, DBS services, and their affiliates, and the FCC seeks comment on how to measure the percentage and whether to phase in the limit.
Required Disclosure and Transfer Right
The FCC proposes that providers must tell customers at the start of a call when it is being handled outside the United States and must allow a customer to request transfer to a U.S.-based representative. The FCC would require prompt transfers and that wait times for transferred calls not exceed wait times for calls originally routed to U.S. centers.
Ban on Call Centers in Foreign Adversary Nations
The FCC proposes prohibiting providers from using call centers located in designated 'foreign adversary' nations and seeks comment on whether to expand that prohibition to any call center that employs citizens or residents of those nations. The proposal is framed as protecting consumer privacy and national security.
Fees or Bonds to Deter Foreign Robocalls
The FCC seeks comment on using government-imposed fees or bond requirements to make unlawful foreign-originated calls expensive and deter scammers. The NPRM asks how unlawful calls would be identified, how a bond might be posted or drawn, and who would administer such a program.
English Proficiency for Offshore Staff
The FCC proposes requiring providers that use offshore call centers to ensure all calling staff are proficient in written and spoken American Standard English, including tone, idioms, and cultural understanding. The FCC seeks comment on tests, compliance criteria, and whether to apply standards to each employee or an average score.
Broadband Label: Show U.S. Call Share
The FCC proposes amending the broadband label to display the percentage of customer service calls handled by representatives located within the United States. The percentage would be a point-of-sale disclosure in the Customer Support section of the label.
Extend Rules to Non-Voice Channels
The FCC seeks comment on whether the proposed protections for calls should also apply to non-voice customer service communications like emails, texts, and online chats. The NPRM asks how frequently providers use foreign staff for these channels and whether the same English proficiency and data protections should apply.
Provider Reporting and Transparency Requirements
The FCC proposes requiring providers to track and report metrics such as foreign call center workers' English proficiency, percentages of calls routed to foreign and U.S. centers, transfer rates, wait times, and dropped calls. The FCC seeks comment on reporting frequency, public disclosure, and data formats.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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