The Federal Communications Commission is preparing to vote on a series of proposals that could significantly reshape how U.S. companies operate their call centers, particularly those located outside the United States. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency will consider new rules aimed at encouraging companies to move call center operations back to the United States, improving service quality for American consumers, and cracking down on illegal robocalls that originate overseas.
Why this matters: Call centers remain a core operational channel for many companies in the credit and collection industry. A large portion of those operations are handled offshore, particularly in countries such as the Philippines and India. According to the FCC, nearly 70% of U.S. companies outsource at least one department overseas, including customer service operations.
The FCC says the growing reliance on offshore operations raises several concerns:
- Customer frustration related to communication barriers
- Potential risks to consumer data and payment information
- The possibility that overseas call center infrastructure could be leveraged by robocall scammers
Chairman Carr said the proposals are designed to address these issues while also improving the overall customer service experience for American consumers.
Proposals under consideration: The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking will seek public comment on several potential regulatory changes that could directly impact call center operations.
Among the ideas the FCC is exploring:
- Encouraging companies to reshore call center jobs to the United States
- Allowing consumers to request that their calls be transferred to a U.S.-based call center
- Requiring companies to disclose the location of a call center during customer interactions
- Requiring call center agents to demonstrate proficiency in American Standard English
- Implementing tariffs or bonds aimed at reducing illegal robocall activity originating from overseas operations
The FCC also plans to examine the limits of its legal authority and determine which companies or communications providers could fall within the scope of any new rules.
