The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has begun an evaluation process of new regulations covering call centers located outside of the country. The idea is to provide incentives for these businesses to return to the United States. The measures also seek to halt automated telephone scams carried out from abroad that hurt so many people.
On 26 March 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to adopt a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) aimed at “onshoring” call center jobs and implementing strict new regulations on overseas customer service operations.
The move, spearheaded by FCC chairman Brendan Carr, marks a significant shift in United States policy, linking the use of foreign call centers directly to poor customer service, data security risks, and the facilitation of illegal robocalls.
Key provisions of the FCC Proposal (FCC 26-16)
The formal statement and the accompanying NPRM outline several “detail-packed” requirements for communications providers (telecom, cable, and satellite):
• English proficiency standards: The FCC proposes to mandate that all staff at foreign call centers used by covered providers be proficient in “American Standard English.” This includes comprehension of vocabulary, idioms, and cultural expectations.
• Offshore call caps: The Commission is seeking comment on a specific percentage-based cap for calls handled abroad—suggesting an initial limit of 30%.
• Mandatory location disclosure: Providers would be required to inform consumers at the very beginning of a call if it is being handled by a foreign call center.
• Right to transfer to the US: Consumers would have the legal right to request an immediate transfer to a US-based representative at any point during the interaction, regardless of where the call originated.
• Sensitive transaction restriction: Any customer service interaction involving sensitive data—such as passwords, Social Security numbers, or bank details—would be legally required to be handled exclusively by domestic (US) call centers.
The proposal, issued last Thursday via a Warning of a Regulation Proposal, begins a series of public hearings regarding the ways and means of improving services to clients, strengthening data safety and reduce the impact of illegal “robocalls”, many of which originate from outside the United States.
For the Dominican Republic, this is a matter of concern. According to numbers from 2024 released by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, United States-based call centers operating in the Dominican Republic provide about 40,000 jobs in the formal sector, most of the jobs held by young people.
Also, the FCC is looking into the possibility of imposing tariffs or financial security deposits in order to reduce the frequency of deceptive calls originating from outside the United States.
This is going to be a very important issue since 70% of United States companies operate client-services overseas. According to the FCC, this has caused not only a loss of jobs in the US, but it has been accompanied by a reduction in the quality of these services due to language barriers that make problem-resolution more difficult.
The FCC also noted that some call centers were linked to some fraudulent actors that carried out scams, taking advantage of the infrastructure and training that goes with legitimate operations.
Finally, there is the question of privacy regarding national security and the personal information of each client.
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Diario Libre
FCC
30 March 2026