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FCC may force AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon to make a change customers have been yearning for

The FCC wants to fix a customer service challenge that carrier customers often face.

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By Anam Hamid

Updated: Mar 05, 2026, 10:12 PM

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fcc wants to bring call centers to the us

The FCC wants to reshore call center operations. | Image by PhoneArena

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon customers often complain that customer service suffers due to language barriers. This is largely because carriers offshore these services, meaning a customer service representative may not be fluent in English. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may soon take care of that.

America First ideology

Aligning with the broader administration's 'America First' framework, Trump's FCC wants to bring jobs back to America. Chairman Brendan Carr intends to improve customer service by encouraging US-based call centers.

Carr points out that many US businesses outsource call center operations to foreign countries, making it difficult for Americans to resolve issues with representatives due to language differences.

Today, nearly 70% of U.S. businesses outsource at least one department, including customer service and call center operations, to locations abroad. As a result, too many Americans have struggled to resolve an issue with a representative due to cultural and language barriers.

Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman, March 2026

The FCC aims to introduce reforms compelling businesses to bring call center operations back to the US, addressing the frustration Americans face when their calls are routed overseas.

The commission also wants to improve service at existing call centers by requiring call-takers to be proficient in Standard American English.

Beyond language proficiency, onshoring seeks to safeguard personal information. Foreign call centers have been linked to an increase in scam calls, as staff may use their skills to defraud consumers.

The FCC wants companies to disclose when calls are routed to another country and give customers the option to speak with a US-based representative.

Our proposal would require disclosure when calls are routed overseas, give consumers the option to switch to a U.S.-based representative and add stronger safeguards for personal data — all while improving service and creating new economic opportunities here at home.

Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman, March 2026

Longstanding complaint

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon customers have long complained that customer support staff who are not fluent in English get in the way of problem resolution. While such concerns are sometimes dismissed as xenophobic, labeling them as such overlooks the tangible impact on service quality.

I am not trying to be racist or anything since I'm a person of color myself with an accent; but does TMobile think it's okay to employ customer representatives who cannot understand complaints and give reasonable solutions?

meilyn22, T-Mobile customer, 2021

Some customers report making bad decisions as a result of language-related misunderstandings.

I am not unsympathetic to the plight of customer support workers and what they have to deal with, but when I'm constantly met with a lack of knowledge regarding basic questions and the [occasional] language barrier issues, it's all a bit too much to take.

PDADoc, AT&T customer, 2025

The issue is that due to linguistic differences, reps are often unable to understand customer queries, and rather than acknowledging or communicating that, they inadvertently misguide customers.

Non-native English speakers isn't a problem. The problem is non-native English speakers who don't have a good enough grasp of English to properly understand customers.

jaltair9, T-Mobile customer, 2022

Due to limited language proficiency, some reps only parrot scripted responses and are unable to move beyond the scope of the script.

Have you ever had trouble speaking to carrier reps due to language barriers?

The downside

Carriers have increasingly been adding AI to their workflows to reduce reliance on employees. If the FCC mandates these changes, carriers might accelerate the adoption of AI and replace overseas agents with AI agents instead of hiring US-based workers at higher wages.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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