One of the current problems is a ban on robocalls exists (for calls to cell phones without consent, at least), as does a ban on IRS scam calls, Microsoft scam calls etc, but the bans can't be enforced because when a victim complains there's no way to trace the guilty party. After all, the caller ID was faked.
So the call signing doesn't have to be "a body that will block all robocalls and scams" it only has to be "a body that can be sued and fined". You rotate certificates weekly and issue a certificate to any company willing to make a deposit of $X against possible fines. Then adjust $X until robocalls and scam calls with fake caller IDs stop happening.
Of course, even if that stopped robocalls/scam calls with faked caller ID, profitable scams and robocalls would be able to use burner cell phones. So it's not a perfect solution by any means.
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So the call signing doesn't have to be "a body that will block all robocalls and scams" it only has to be "a body that can be sued and fined". You rotate certificates weekly and issue a certificate to any company willing to make a deposit of $X against possible fines. Then adjust $X until robocalls and scam calls with fake caller IDs stop happening.
Of course, even if that stopped robocalls/scam calls with faked caller ID, profitable scams and robocalls would be able to use burner cell phones. So it's not a perfect solution by any means.
Surely the telco can trace who made the call?
Usually, the only available information is the immediately adjacent carrier through which the call came.