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Verizon Adds Free Robocall Blocking App for Wireless Customers, Two Years After AT&T, T-Mobile

Jan 18, 2019 Fortune

January 18, 2019

Verizon wireless subscribers will finally get a free robocall-blocking app, two years after the competition launched similar services. The Verizon app, with additional call screening options and enhanced Caller ID to alert of potential spam calls, will launch in March. Competitors (T, -0.36%) AT&T and T-Mobile(TMUS, +0.19%) rolled out similar app-based controls for call blocking and alerts two years ago. Verizon, which currently charges subscribers $3 a month for robocall-blocking and more, announced the app Jan. 17.

Billions of automated calls, or “robocalls,” are made to U.S. phone lines annually, making for angry customers and federal actions. In just one case in 2018, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued two operations that the agency alleged were responsible for nearly 900 million robocalls a year