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Anatel Approves New Rules to Combat Abusive Telemarketing in Brazil. Large Callers Will Have to Authenticate the Origin of Calls, and Measures Against SMS Spam Are Also Foreseen.
Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency) approved, on Monday (11), a set of new rules to combat abusive telemarketing and reduce the number of unwanted calls received daily by millions of Brazilians.
The main focus is to target companies that make mass calls — those that make more than 500,000 calls per month — forcing them to adopt an origin authentication system for all calls. The measure promises to bring more safety, transparency, and efficiency in the oversight of telecommunications in the country.
Adaptation Period and Operation of the New Rules
According to the decision of the Board of Directors, companies will have 90 days to adapt to the requirements. The new system, called “Verified Origin,” will operate in two ways:
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- For Consumers: it will be possible to see who is calling before answering.
- For Oversight: authentication will be mandatory for large callers, allowing Anatel to monitor and curb fraud and abuse more quickly.
According to the agency, the expectation is that within three years the system will be implemented across the Brazilian telephone network, ensuring traceability and safety for all users.
Traceability and Accountability
One of the most relevant changes is the creation of a call traceability plan. With it, it will be possible to identify the entire chain responsible for abusive calls, holding operators, telemarketing companies, and contractors accountable.
This traceability will allow authorities to impose fines and sanctions more effectively against those who violate the rules.
The Size of the Problem: 10 Billion Unwanted Calls Per Month
The numbers are impressive: according to Anatel, Brazilians receive about 10 billion unauthorized calls every month.
These automated calls, known as “robocalls,” have become one of the biggest nuisances for the population, often occurring multiple times a day, including at inappropriate times.
The practice is considered abusive and illegal, and there is already a tool from Anatel called “Do Not Disturb,” which allows consumers to block calls from participating telemarketing companies. Now, with the new rules, the trend is that the effectiveness of this blocking will increase.
Combating SMS Spam
In addition to phone calls, Anatel announced that it is preparing specific actions against SMS spam.
The proposal is to create a national action plan that follows the same logic as calls: ensuring traceability, security, and consumer protection while combating the mass sending of unwanted messages.
The goal is that, just like with phone calls, it will be possible to identify the sender and impose penalties on those who send SMS abusively.
Expected Impact for Consumers
The expectation is that, with the implementation of the Verified Origin system and the new rules, there will be a significant reduction in the volume of unwanted calls and messages in Brazil.
In addition to providing more peace of mind for consumers, the measure should also help reduce fraud, such as phone scams that take advantage of the lack of call identification.
How Consumers Can Protect Themselves
While the new rules are not in effect, it is still possible to take steps to reduce the nuisance of abusive calls:
- Registration in “Do Not Disturb”: available on the official “Do Not Disturb” website, this tool blocks calls from participating telemarketing companies.
- Blocking on Your Own Cell Phone: many smartphones have native features to block numbers and filter suspicious calls.
- Filing a Complaint with Anatel: through the “Anatel Consumer” website or app.
Next Steps for Anatel
The Board of Directors has determined that the agency’s technical areas develop a comprehensive plan to combat abusive telemarketing and SMS spam, with an expectation of intensified oversight and faster sanctions.
With this, Brazil is moving closer to practices already adopted in other countries, where call authentication and preventive blocking have helped drastically reduce unwanted calls.
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