Robocall Mitigation Database guide

The voice industry is a highly regulated space, with rapidly evolving requirements that aim to protect consumers and restore trust in calling around the world. Both Bandwidth and our customers play a part in this ecosystem, whether it’s your first time utilizing voice services or you’ve been a long-time player.

It’s critical to uphold our own legal requirements, and by sharing our industry knowledge on these regulations we can also be a resource for our customers as you determine your own legal obligations in this space.

This article aims to give a brief explanation of the filing requirements for the Robocall Mitigation Database (RMD), which is applicable to businesses that provide PSTN-enabled voice services within the United States. If you have more detailed questions on this process, check out our extended FAQ!

Note: The following is not meant as legal advice. Customers should consult their own legal counsel in making determinations about their legal and regulatory compliance matters.

What is the RMD?

The RMD is a publicly accessible database of registered voice service providers (VSPs), which includes certifications concerning a provider’s implementation of the STIR/SHAKEN framework.

In simpler terms, the RMD is the method of creating checks and balances against the FCC's robocall mitigation directives. VSPs must register and certify that they’re taking the required steps laid out by the FCC to help reduce illegal robocalls.

Why is Bandwidth requiring me to register with the RMD?

The FCC has mandated that all VSPs register in the RMD. It has also mandated that all downstream providers are prohibited from accepting any traffic from unregistered VSPs.

If Bandwidth has asked you to register, we’ve determined that your use case most likely matches that of a “voice service provider.” In these instances, we consider ourselves a downstream provider from you, which typically means you appear to be reselling Bandwidth’s voice services for consumption by a separate end user placing outbound calls to US destinations in some manner. By reselling, we mean that your business is not directly consuming Bandwidth’s voice services (such as for internal employee communication, in which instance Bandwidth would consider itself the VSP).

Since you're providing voice services to your customers, FCC rules require that you register with the RMD. Bandwidth must require this as well to uphold its own regulatory obligations to the FCC.

How do I register with the RMD? 

Visit the Robocall Mitigation Database website and follow the Robocall Mitigation Database External Filing Instructions. These instructions include directions for establishing a Commission Registration System (CORES) account and FCC Registration Number (FRN), which is a prerequisite for filing with the RMD (see the FCC’s tutorial videos for this step).

If you need help navigating the registration process, there are many consultants and outside counsel who can assist with it. If customers see inaccurate information in the database or need special assistance with the registration process, they should reach out to the FCC directly at RobocallMitigationDatabase@FCC.gov.

How long does it take to file my registration with the RMD?

The filing process can take as little as 15 minutes to complete, especially if you already have the FRN from doing business with the FCC previously. 

If you have more questions, check out our extended FAQ or email compliance@bandwidth.com to open a ticket with our Compliance Team!