Anatel facilitates telemarketing call identification

Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency) determined this Friday (10) that telemarketing calls are identified with the prefix 0303. The code must appear at the beginning of all calls of this type.

“The standardized use of this numbering will be an important tool for the consumer in identifying telemarketing calls,” said the agency in a note.

According to Anatel, the 0303 code will be used exclusively and mandatory for active telemarketing activities and the telecommunications networks must allow the clear identification, on the user’s device display, of that number.

The deadline for implementing the new rule is 90 days for mobile telephony providers and 180 days for fixed telephony operators.

According to the regulator, telephony providers will be responsible for implementing the new numbering. “It is up to them to employ the necessary technological means to curb use outside the rules established by the Agency,” said Anatel.

In addition, operators must perform preventive blocking of active telemarketing calls at the request of the consumer.

“Active telemarketing, it should be clarified, is the practice of offering products or services through phone calls or messages, previously recorded or not”, highlighted the agency.

Approval of the new rule went through public consultation between August and September this year, in which nearly 100 contributions were received from consumers, companies and consumer protection associations and the telecommunications sector.

Telemarketing calls are a frequent target of consumer complaints, especially regarding caller identification and preventive blocking.