Updated: CRTC issues consult on mandatory call traceback process for TSPs

This story has been updated to reflect changes to deadlines made by the CRTC on Monday. The CRTC is issuing a consultation on its proposal to make its voluntary call traceback process mandatory for all TSPs offering voice services in Canada to tackle the persistent issue of nuisance calls plaguing consumers. The call traceback process, initiated to curb spam calls, allows authorities to trace the origin of unsolicited calls that violate the Unsolicited Telemarketing Rules. While the process has been in place since fall 2021, participation has been voluntary, with only a limited number of TSPs opting in. “The call traceback process would be most effective if all telecommunications service providers participated. The call traceback process provides valuable data that the commission utilizes to analyze call traffic patterns and identify the entry point of nuisance calls in the country. This information is crucial for developing effective strategies to prevent and address nuisance calls,” the commission wrote Wednesday. The initiative for a standardized call traceback process emerged from previous regulatory policies, highlighting the necessity of identifying and addressing the source of nuisance calls. Despite CRTC Interconnection Steering Committee (CISC) Network Working Group (NTWG) recommendations to mandate all TSPs to adopt traceback, the commission opted for a voluntary onboarding process. This approach sought to streamline the addition of new TSPs to the program, albeit with limited success initially. Between Dec. 2021 and Feb. 2022, only four new TSPs joined the effort. Between Oct. 2021 and April 2023, participating TSPs handled 470 traceback requests, 76 per cent of which were complete. Various factors contributed to uncompleted tracebacks, including non-response from TSPs, incomplete responses, and the inability to locate calls. “Traceback failures resulting from participating TSPs lack of response were mostly related to administrative reasons (such as staff on holiday, incorrect email addresses, etc.) rather than a lack of good faith,” the CRTC wrote. “Traceback failures due to incomplete responses stemmed from a TSP misunderstanding the process, specifically regarding the requirement to provide the name of the next upstream TSP.” Despite efforts to onboard new participants, most TSPs remain outside the voluntary framework, hindering the effectiveness of the process, according to the commission. The commission has posed several questions for public feedback. Stakeholders are asked to assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of mandating TSPs to respond to traceback requests. They are encouraged to provide evidence regarding potential costs, operational burdens, and technical challenges associated with mandatory participation. Stakeholders are invited to comment on the feasibility and necessity of various requirements, including an onboarding process for TSPs, specifications for upstream TSPs in traceback requests, retention periods for call data, response times to traceback requests, volume limits on requests, forwarding traceback requests to foreign providers, and including STIR/SHAKEN certificate information in traceback forms. The CRTC is also soliciting input on the potential appropriateness and utility of the commission publishing individual traceback results, including details such as associated call campaigns, dates and times of calls, and carrier information. Stakeholders are asked to consider the frequency of publication and the potential benefits of increased transparency in disclosing traceback outcomes. The deadline for submitting interventions and comments on the proposed conditions is April 2, 2024, with replies due by April 16, 2024. – Reporting by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca.

Updated: CRTC issues consult on mandatory call traceback process for TSPs

News | February 28, 2024

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