November 13, 2018 1 min read

Consumer and Privacy Advocates File Comments with FCC Clarifying Definition of Automatic Telephone Dialing System

CFA TC

In comments filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), privacy and consumer advocacy groups, including CFA, clarify the definition of an "automatic telephone dialing system (ATDS) under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The groups note that the ATDS should not be defined so as to encompass the ordinary use of a smartphone. Specifically, ordinary smartphone use does not fall under this definition because smartphones as manufactured and delivered to consumers do not have the present capacity to dial multiple numbers simultaneously or send mass texts.

Download PDF

Related Articles

CFA TC
September 16, 2025 / Press Releases
Consumer Groups Tell Congress, Don't Abandon Universal Service Programs
CFA TC
September 16, 2025 / Testimony & Comments
CFA Submits Comments to Universal Service Fund Congressional Working Group
CFA TC
March 25, 2025 / Testimony & Comments
CFA Joins Amicus Brief in Support of Overturning Court Decision Undermining Protections Against Unwanted Robocalls
CFA TC
October 17, 2024 / Testimony & Comments
CFA's Policy Recommendations for a New Administration 2025