Technology

FCC cracks down on robocall reporting violations

Published

2 months ago

January 14, 2026

FCC cracks down on robocall reporting violations

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

If you are tired of scam calls slipping through the cracks, federal regulators just took a meaningful step. The Federal Communications Commission finalized new penalties aimed at telecom companies that submit false, inaccurate or late information to a key anti-robocall system. The changes go into effect Feb. 5. They strengthen oversight of the Robocall Mitigation Database, which plays a central role in tracking spoofed calls and holding providers accountable.

Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy Report
Get my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide – free when you join my CYBERGUY.COM newsletter.

What changed and why it matters

Under the new rules, voice service providers must recertify every year that their filings in the Robocall Mitigation Database are accurate and current. The FCC will now back that requirement with real financial consequences.

The FCC is cracking down on robocalls by tightening rules that govern how telecom providers verify and report call traffic. (iStock)

FCC SCRUBS OWN REFERENCE TO ‘INDEPENDENT’ AGENCY FROM WEBSITE AFTER DEM’S TESTY EXCHANGE WITH CHAIRMAN

Here is what the commission approved:

$10,000 fines for submitting false or inaccurate information
$1,000 fines for each database entry not updated within 10 business days
Annual recertification of all provider filings
The FCC also adopted a $100 filing fee for initial Robocall Mitigation Database submissions and for required annual recertifications.
Two-factor authentication to protect database access
A $100 application fee for initial filings and annual recertifications

The FCC also made clear that these violations are considered ongoing until corrected, meaning fines can accrue on a daily basis rather than being treated as one-time penalties.

According to the FCC, many past submissions failed basic standards. Some lacked accurate contact details. Others included robocall mitigation plans that did not describe any real mitigation practices at all.

How the Robocall Mitigation Database works

The Robocall Mitigation Database requires providers to verify and certify the identities of callers that use their networks. Regulators and law enforcement rely on it to trace spoofed calls and illegal robocall campaigns. That task is harder than it sounds. America’s telecom system is vast and fragmented. Calls often pass through multiple networks owned by major carriers like Verizon and AT&T, as well as smaller regional providers and VoIP services. When calls hop between networks, verification can be missed or ignored. For years, the FCC did not closely verify or enforce the accuracy of these filings. That gap raised serious concerns.

Under the updated rules, providers that fail to recertify or correct deficient filings can be referred to enforcement and removed from the database, which can prevent other carriers from carrying their calls at all.

Why inaccurate robocall data hurts consumers

When robocall filings are wrong or outdated, scam calls are more likely to reach your phone. Providers may treat a call as trusted even when it should raise red flags. That gives robocallers more time to operate and makes it harder for regulators to shut them down quickly. The FCC says stronger penalties and tighter oversight are meant to close that gap before consumers pay the price.

New FCC penalties target inaccurate robocall filings that have allowed scam calls to slip through carrier networks. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Pushback and pressure on the FCC

When the FCC proposed penalties, it asked whether violations should be treated as minor paperwork mistakes or as serious misrepresentations. Telecom trade groups pushed back. They argued that fines should not apply unless providers first get a chance to fix errors or unless the FCC proves the filings were willfully inaccurate.

State attorneys general and the robocall monitoring platform ZipDX urged a tougher stance. They warned that false filings undermine every effort to stop illegal robocalls. The FCC ultimately chose a middle path. It rejected treating violations as harmless paperwork errors. At the same time, it stopped short of imposing the maximum penalties allowed by law.

What this means to you

For everyday consumers, this move matters more than it may seem. Accurate robocall reporting makes it easier to trace scam calls, shut down bad actors and prevent spoofed numbers from reaching your phone. Stronger penalties give telecoms a reason to take these filings seriously instead of treating them as routine compliance chores.

11 EASY WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR ONLINE PRIVACY IN 2025

The FCC also set a firm annual deadline. Providers must recertify their robocall mitigation filings each year by March 1, creating a predictable enforcement checkpoint. While this will not end robocalls overnight, it tightens a weak link that scammers have exploited for years.

Simple steps you can take right now to reduce robocalls

Even with tougher FCC enforcement, scam calls will not disappear overnight. Here are a few smart steps you can take today to reduce your risk.

Do not answer unknown calls. If it is important, a legitimate caller will leave a voicemail.
Never press buttons or say yes to robocall prompts. That confirms your number is active and can trigger more scam calls.
Report scam calls to your carrier. Most major carriers let you report robocalls directly through their call log or app.
Register your number with the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov/. It will not stop scammers, but it can reduce legitimate telemarketing calls.
Block repeat offenders. If the same number keeps calling, block it so your phone stops ringing altogether.
Be cautious with callback numbers. Scammers often spoof local area codes to look familiar.

The FCC says accurate robocall reporting by telecoms helps carriers identify and shut down scam traffic faster, but consumer habits still matter.

Pro tip: remove your personal data at the source

Robocalls do not come out of nowhere. Many start with your personal information being sold or shared by data brokers. These companies collect phone numbers, addresses, emails and even family details from public records, apps, purchases and online activity. Scammers and shady marketers buy that data to build call lists. Removing your data from data broker sites can reduce the number of robocalls you receive over time. You can try to do this manually by finding individual data broker websites and submitting removal requests one by one. The process is time-consuming and often needs to be repeated.

Some people choose to use a data removal service to automate this process and continuously monitor for re-posting. That can help limit how often your phone number circulates among marketers and scammers. Less exposed data means fewer opportunities for robocallers to target you. Cutting off robocalls often starts long before your phone rings.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com

By strengthening oversight and accountability, the FCC aims to shut down illegal robocalls before they ever reach your phone. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Robocalls thrive when accountability breaks down. By adding meaningful fines, stronger security, annual recertification and filing fees, the FCC is signaling that accuracy is no longer optional. Because penalties can continue to build until problems are fixed, telecoms now face real consequences for ignoring or delaying corrections. This rule forces providers to own their role in stopping illegal calls instead of passing the blame along the network chain. Real progress will depend on enforcement, but this is one of the clearest signs yet that regulators are closing gaps scammers rely on.

Do you think stricter penalties will finally push telecoms to take robocall prevention seriously, or will scammers just find the next loophole? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Related Topics:FCC Featured regulation smart and safe tech

Click to comment

Technology

Bluetti’s Sora 500 solar panel is incredibly powerful for its size

Published

10 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Bluetti’s Sora 500 solar panel is incredibly powerful for its size

We don’t review many solar panels at The Verge, but the tech inside Bluetti’s incredibly portable Sora 500 panel makes it worth a deeper look. The new N-Type panels made by Bluetti and others give you more bang for the buck, pound, and square inch. That’s a big deal for vanlifers like me who depend upon these beefy portable solar panels to extend off-grid stays.

In real-world testing, I saw Bluetti’s 500W panel deliver 509W to my van’s power station, allowing me to generate over 800W when combined with the three sad 140W monocrystalline solar panels I have installed on top of my van. That kind of stationary output is fantastic. I typically consume about 1.6kWh a day, so this array lets me add a full day’s worth of charge in only two hours. I just wish that Bluetti had made the Sora 500 bifacial like Jackery and newcomer Zoupw did with their even lighter, high-wattage, portable, N-Type panels designed to maximize output in less than ideal conditions.

The Sora 500 is priced at €849 in Europe — it isn’t being sold in the US yet. Bluetti spokesperson Ellen Lee tells me that the company wants to bring it to the US market but it’s “currently navigating some shifting regional policies and trade dynamics.” Things that Zoupw and Jackery managed to sort out already.

$984

The Good

Incredibly compact when folded
Good performance in partial shade
Exceeded rated output
Efficient N-Type TOPCon cells

The Bad

Heavy compared to competitors
Single-sided (not bifacial)
Tedious to unfold/pack
Not yet available in the US

Bluetti’s single-sided Sora 500 panel uses TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) cells, an N-Type technology which is replacing older PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) tech. Compared to PERC, TOPCon panels do better in low-light, deal with high temperatures better, and degrade more slowly. TOPCon panels can achieve higher efficiencies (often ~23–25 percent) compared to typical PERC panels (~20–23 percent), depending on implementation.

The Sora 500 does well in shading tests, but partially shading the center four panels creates the most chaos, dropping from over 500W of output to just 50W.

The output from the Sora 500, plugged into the LV (low voltage) solar input of a EcoFlow Delta Pro 3 solar generator, dropped to just 50W when shading the four center panels. You can see my roof-top panels producing 302W on the HV input.

The Sora 500 did much better when I shaded other panel combinations, including the four just right of center.

Blocking the four panels right of center dropped output from over 500W to 276W.

All these advantages mean that you’ll get more for your money, as soon as you unfurl all 12 panels of the Sora 500 and over their extended lifetime. The panel also features an IP67 resistance to dust and water and an ETFE coating that makes it easier to wipe away dirt that interferes with solar intake.

Lightweight portables are no match for gusts of wind, this one was about 10 – 12 knots.

In my mid-March testing in the south of France at an altitude of about 600 meters, I was regularly seeing the Sora 500 delivering above its rated output, measuring as much as 509W on a cool and cloudless day. It also does a good job of handling the sun being partially shaded.

For example, on a very sunny day when the 12 individual panels that comprise the Sora 500 were producing over 500W, the output dropped to 412W when partially shading one corner panel, and 390W when partially shading the right-most two. Partially shading the four panels just to the right of center dropped the output to 276W.

The output from the Sora 500 dropped dramatically when I blocked the center four panels, falling to just 50W. That’s likely because I choked off the entire array by severing the connection between all four parallel zones. Bluetti uses a half-cut cell design and a 3-series, 4-parallel (3S4P) circuit architecture for the Sora 500. This results in multiple independent power zones by dividing the cells into smaller halves and distributing them across four parallel power paths. It helps to prevent a single shaded area from becoming a bottleneck for the entire panel, like you see with cheaper panels.

Unfortunately, Bluetti chose to cover the back of its panels with fabric and a complex system of kickstands and straps. By comparison, the Zoupw 480W and Jackery SolarSage 500 X N-Type panels are bifacial, meaning they can also collect ambient light from the back of the panels when placed on reflective surfaces like snow, sand, concrete, and, to a lesser extent, grass.

I haven’t tested these panels myself, but I’ve seen unconfirmed user reports claiming to have pushed the Zoupw beyond 525W of output. Importantly, both panels also weigh just 22lb (10kg), making them even lighter than the 28.4lb (12.9kg) Bluetti Sora 500.

Solar Panel	Base Power	Weight	Unfolded Area (sq in)	Watts per lb	Watts per sq in
Bluetti SORA 500	500W	28.40 lbs	~4,510 sq in (100.0” x 45.1”)	17.61 W/lb	0.110 W/sq in
Jackery SolarSaga 500 X	500W	22.05 lbs	~3,848 sq in (98.1” x 39.2”)	22.68 W/lb	0.130 W/sq in
Zoupw 480W	480W	22.49 lbs	~4,512 sq in (138.6” x 32.6”)	21.34 W/lb	0.106 W/sq in

On paper, the Jackery panel is the output king in terms of Watts per pound and unfolded Watts per square inch.

And while weight is an important enabler of portability, I should note that these things tend to fly away when the wind picks up. Fortunately, the Bluetti panel I’ve been testing has tie-down points for gusty days. All three panels are much lighter than the reliable 400W PERC monster from EcoFlow that I’ve been hauling around for the last four years. It weighs 35.3lbs (16kg) and is still available to buy for $599.

For vanlifers, the Bluetti Sora 500 absolutely dominates when it comes time to pack the panel away into an RV, van, or closet. The Zoupw and Jackery use standard 4-section or 6-section “slab” folds, while Bluetti uses a 12-section grid fold, allowing it to collapse into a much smaller, briefcase-like package. Even then, the 3.3-inch thick folded Bluetti is thinner than both the 3.35-inch thick Zoupw panel and 3.82-inch Jackery.

Solar Panel	Base Power	Folded Dimensions (L × W)	Folded Area (sq in)	Watts per Folded sq in
Bluetti SORA 500	500W	22.4” × 17.5”	392 sq in	1.28 W/sq in
Jackery SolarSaga 500 X	500W	39.2” × 20.7”	812 sq in	0.62 W/sq in
Zoupw 480W	480W	34.7” × 32.6”	1,131 sq in	0.42 W/sq in

The Sora 500 delivers a ton of output for a panel that folds down so small, working out to 1.28 Watts per square inch.

Conversely, the Sora 500 can be a pain in the ass to set up due to all the hinges and straps needed to support so many segments. It’s a puzzle I managed to mostly master after the third installation, but repositioning the panel to follow the sun throughout the day is a lesson in patience.

1/8

The Sora 500 folds down incredibly small.

Without official US pricing for the Sora 500 panel, it’s hard to do a direct price-per-watt comparison with the $649.99 Zoupw 480W and $999 (often on sale for $799) Jackery SolarSage 500 X. However, if we strip the European VAT from its €849 price tag and convert it, the Sora 500 works out to about $820. While that’s competitive, it still leaves the Zoupw 480W with the best price-per-watt performance in this class.

Bluetti’s Sora 500 can’t compete with the Zoupw 480W and Jackery SolarSage 500 X in terms of weight, but it wins handily in terms of Watts per square inch when folded down. It’s the only 500W panel that effectively disappears into a small closet or under a van bench. As such, it justifies its price premium for anyone like me who has limited space to store an extra solar panel they only need to deploy occasionally.

Unfolded: 100 × 45.1 × 0.1 in / 2541 × 1146.6 × 3 mm
Folded: 22.4 × 17.5 × 3.3 in / 570 × 445 × 85 mm
Weight: 28.4 lbs / 12.9 kg
Panels: 12x TOPCon
Conversion Efficiency: up to 25 percent
Voltage at Pmax (Vmp):40.92V
Current at Pmax (Imp): 12.22A
Open Circuit Voltage (Voc): 49.1V
Short Circuit Current (Isc): 13.31A
Operating Temperature: -13°F to 149°F / -25°C to 65°C
Best Working Temperature: 77°F / 25°C
1.5m MC4 to XT60 cable included in box

Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge

Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

Thomas Ricker

Technology

Too loud? Ticket’s in the mail

Published

11 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

You already know about speed cameras. Red light cameras. Toll cameras that photograph your plate and bill you later.

Now meet their cousin. Noise cameras are the newest automated enforcement technology spreading through American cities. A pole-mounted device contains sensitive microphones paired with a license plate camera.

IF SOMEONE GETS INTO YOUR EMAIL, THEY OWN EVERY ACCOUNT YOU HAVE. THESE 3 MOVES LOCK THEM OUT FOR GOOD

Your car drives past. If your exhaust tips over the legal decibel limit, a ticket arrives in your mailbox days later. No warning. No officer pulling you over. No flashing lights in your rearview mirror. Just a microphone that never blinks, never takes a break and never misses a shift.

Silence of the Lambos

New York City has been running these since 2021. The cameras have issued more than 1,600 violations and collected nearly $2 million in fines. Get caught once, and you’re looking at $800. Get caught repeatedly, and the fine climbs to $2,500.

New York City implemented noise cameras and has been using the technology since 2021. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

Newport, Rhode Island, put two cameras on scenic Ocean Avenue. Within days, a Mustang GT got nailed at 85 decibels. Two decibels over the limit. $250 fine. Providence approved $180,000 to add cameras in 2026. Connecticut passed statewide legislation.

California has six cities running a five-year pilot program with fines up to $1,105. Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia, Sacramento and Washington, D.C., are all deploying or testing. Colorado, New Jersey and Hawaii have introduced similar legislation. This is not a local story anymore. It’s a national one moving fast, and most drivers have absolutely no idea it’s coming for them.

5 SIMPLE TECH TIPS TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

Here’s how the technology actually works.

The microphone detects sound above the legal threshold, typically between 75 and 95 decibels depending on the city. To put that in plain English, a normal conversation runs about 60 decibels. A lawnmower hits around 90. Most cities are drawing the line somewhere in between. The camera cross-references the sound spike with the exact moment a vehicle passes, photographs the plate, and generates the ticket automatically. No officer involved. No human review in most cases. Just math, a microphone and a camera pointed at your plate.

Too loud and furious

When I’m in my Porsche and flip into manual mode, rowing through the gears with that beautiful exhaust note singing, I’m not doing the math on that out loud. Let’s just say I’m watching the camera location maps very carefully. You probably should too.

If your car reaches a certain decibal above the “legal threshold,” the microphone in the camera can detect the sound and cross references with the moment a vehicle passes. (Utah Department of Transportation)

Here’s what should concern drivers with completely stock vehicles. That Mustang GT wasn’t a tuned track car. It’s a car you buy at a dealership. Two decibels over the limit. $250 gone. Motorcycles are even more exposed. A stock Harley-Davidson idles around 75 decibels and can hit 90 under acceleration. Well inside the danger zone in several cities already running cameras. You don’t need a modified exhaust to get a ticket. You just need bad timing.

AI is being used to pinpoint which specific vehicle in a group triggered the alert. Not just the loudest car in the frame. Your car. The tech is getting smarter every single month.

DRONE FOOD DELIVERY LAUNCHES IN NEW JERSEY

Roar and peace

There are two valid sides here.

If someone with a straight-pipe exhaust does a flyby past your bedroom at midnight, you’re probably delighted they got caught. Noise pollution is a real health issue linked to sleep disorders, elevated blood pressure and anxiety. Cities have tried everything and nothing worked at scale until now.

An undated file photo of rush hour traffic in Manhattan, New York City, New York. (iStock)

But this is also another layer of always-on surveillance that never forgets and never gives you the benefit of the doubt. Critics have raised legitimate questions about whether cameras get placed disproportionately in lower-income neighborhoods, turning a public health tool into a revenue machine aimed at the wrong zip codes. Fair questions worth asking out loud.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

These cameras are spreading faster than most drivers realize. Search your city name plus “noise camera ordinance” to find the exact decibel limits where you live. Know the number before the camera does.

Send this to someone who is a car enthusiast, a motorcycle rider or anyone with a loud vehicle. Forward this before they find out the hard way. Consider it your good deed for the week.

Technology

The White House has an app now, and Trump wants you to report people to ICE on it

Published

23 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

The White House has an app now, and Trump wants you to report people to ICE on it

A new official White House app on Android and iOS takes the content from the White House website and copies it into app format. A tweet announcing the app on Friday morning appeared alongside a video joking about missile launches that also appears to feature an iPhone, rather than the elusive Trump Phone. There’s no word about exclusive features or tie-ins with the phone or Trump Mobile services.

A handful of tabs in the app mostly replicate pages that exist on the Trump Administration’s version of the White House website, including news, livestreams, social feeds, and a gallery. A prominent “Get in Touch” button on the social feeds tab includes an option for users to submit a tip to ICE, which takes them to a tip form on the ICE website. It also includes options for texting the president, contacting the White House, or signing up for a newsletter — we could suggest some better ones.