Telephone Consumer Protection Act

In 1991, when wireless phones were deemed a “luxury item,” the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) was enacted to address certain telemarketing practices considered an invasion of consumer privacy, including calls to wireless phones (but not calls to landline phones). Today, 90% of Americans own wireless telephones, and 58.8% of households are mostly or entirely wireless-only. Though consumer preferences have changed, the TCPA has not. It continues to prohibit calls and messages to wireless phones even though they have clearly surpassed landline phones as the preferred means of communication. Without common sense reforms to modernize the TCPA, consumers will be unable to receive normal, expected communications about time-sensitive information on their mobile devices. CBA called upon the Federal Communications Commission to clarify existing rules to eliminate unintended litigation risk harming consumers and compliance driven businesses. CBA has advocated to Congress to update the TCPA to facilitate normal, expected and desired communications to consumers, and provide businesses with clarity when contacting customers.
  • June 5, 2015
    A big fight is expected at the FCC as the agency considers a declaratory ruling ​on the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, slated for a vote at the commission’s June 18 meeting (see [Ref:1505270048]), FCC and industry officials told us. Commissioners Ajit Pai and Mike O’Rielly have major concerns with the order, which was cast by Chairman Tom Wheeler as being strongly pro-consumer. The FCC’s item...
  • May 28, 2015
    Yesterday, the Federal Communications Commission Chairman, Tom Wheeler, released a fact sheet on a proposal related to clarifications of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The proposal theoretically addresses two dozen petitions that sought clarity on how the Commission enforces the TCPA. These petitions include requests from collection industry association ACA International as well as...
  • February 27, 2015
    Regulators Release Guidance to Encourage Youth Savings Programs On Wednesday, February 25, 2015, the Financial Literacy Education Commission ( FLEC ) held a public meeting at the U.S. Department of Treasury in Washington, D.C., which focused on youth savings programs, and highlighted partnerships between the public and private sector to encourage strong financial skills in young people. The...
  • February 25, 2015
    In Washington, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is poised to make a highly controversial move that some say would have a deep impact on consumers. Oh, you're probably thinking of the proposed net neutrality rules that would regulate the Internet as a public utility. True, plenty of people are worked up over that. But while changing the regulatory structure of the Internet has gotten...
  • February 24, 2015
    Attorney General Chris Koster announced his opposition to proposed changes sought by the banking industry to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) of 1991. In a letter to Federal Communication Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler, Koster and several other state attorneys general believe that the proposed changes would lead to more robocalls directed to consumers' cell phones. Under...
  • February 8, 2015
    If the nation's bankers and debt collectors have their way, robocalls could soon become as routine on cellphones as they are on household landlines. Industry lobbyists have asked the Federal Communications Commission to exempt them from rules that largely bar computer-generated cellphone calls and texts to wrong numbers or without a recipient's permission. Their goal: to be shielded from...
  • February 6, 2015
    CFPB Announces Next Consumer Advisory Board Meeting On Tuesday, February 3, 2015, the CFPB announced the next meeting of its Consumer Advisory Board will be held February 19, 2015 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Washington, D.C. According to the agenda , the meeting will focus on financial wellness and medical debt. CFPB Files Action Over Alleged Credit Card Scam On Tuesday, February 3, 2015, the CFPB...
  • February 3, 2015
    A coalition of dozens of national associations and business groups Monday sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging the regulator to address issues that have been raised in numerous petitions concerning the modern application of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The letter notes that when the TCPA was passed in 1991, wireless phones were a luxury afforded by...
  • February 2, 2015
    Dear Chairman Wheeler and Commissioners Clyburn, Rosenworcel, Pai, and O’Rielly: The undersigned trade associations and business groups, representing hundreds ofthousands of U.S. companies and organizations from across the U.S. economy, strongly urge the Federal Communication Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) to expeditiously address the issues raised in the numerous petitions that have been and...
  • January 30, 2015
    ​CFPB Urges Lenders to Offer More Student Loan Modifications Available On Thursday, January 29, 2015, the CFPB announced interagency guidance and a voluntary survey of student loan market participants about the loan modification options being made available to borrowers. Issued by the OCC, Federal Reserve, FDIC, National Credit Union Administration, CFPB , and the Federal Financial Institutions...

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