The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) passed new regulations allowing operators to block spam calls by default, a move designed to increase consumer protection.

In a statement, the US regulator said the new laws will allow voice providers to stop the calls, dubbed “robocalls”, by using “reasonable call analytics”.

“This action empowers providers to protect their customers from unwanted robocalls before those calls even reach the consumers’ phones,” said FCC.

Currently, operators in the country offer their customers call blocking tools on an opt-in basis.

Sick and tired
As part of the ruling, providers can also offer their customers the choice to opt-in to tools blocking calls from any number not in their contact list or other “white lists”.

This option would allow consumers to decide directly whose calls they are willing to receive.

Ajit Pai, chairman of the FCC, said the whole country was “sick and tired of unwanted robocalls.”

YouMail, an app aiming to stop robocalls said citizens were spammed with 4.7 billion robocalls in May, of which almost half were scams.

The FCC also opened a consultation on whether it should create a safe harbour for providers which blocks calls that are maliciously spoofed so the caller ID cannot be authenticated, along with unsigned calls.