South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, Others Urge Call Blocking on Phones

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined counterparts in over four dozen states in calling on major phone companies to offer call-blocking technology.

The attorneys general have sent a letter to the companies' chief executives saying that a recent rule clarification by the Federal Communications Commission shows federal law doesn't prohibit the call-blocking service.

The letter was sent to AT and T, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile and CenturyLink.

Jackley says consumers nationwide are "plagued" with unwanted telemarketing calls and texts and should be given the "basic right" to block them.

At a U.S. Senate hearing in 2013, phone industry representatives said legal barriers prevented carriers from implementing advanced call-blocking technology.

Last year, attorneys general asked the FCC for the clarification, which the agency issued last month, prompting the letter sent to executives.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.