Opinion – Maria Inês Dolci: Finally, a code to save us from telemarketing

At last, good news for the consumer. In fact, excellent news: telemarketing companies will have, from 2022, to use the code 0303. This way, we consumers will know that a certain call is an attempt to sell, and we will have the option of not answering it. It will add to the alert on smartphones that a phone call is suspicious or spam (digital junk).

The only question is whether companies, as usual, will not find some way to circumvent this act, as they usually do. This has happened, for example, with “Don’t disturb me”. Therefore, it is so important that the consumer reports attempts to breach this rule.

Determined by Anatel (National Telecommunications Agency), it was published on the last 10th, in the Diário Oficial da União. next. And 180 days for fixed telephony operators (until June 2022).

This 0303 code will be unique and mandatory for active telemarketing, and telecommunications networks must allow clear identification on the phone’s display. Calls to request donations and those made by collection companies were excluded from this rule.

Operators will also be required to preemptively block active telemarketing numbers, if requested by the customer.

To further improve the consumer’s life —I thought I would never write this so soon—, Anatel is also studying the creation of an identifier code for SMS, WhatsApp and Internet calls (Voip).

Let’s see how this all works in practice, but we have to recognize that Anatel has taken measures for the benefit of citizens, who can no longer stand receiving, daily, dozens of unsolicited or unexpected calls.

I recognize the right of a company to hire telemarketers, but I should respect those who register in “Don’t disturb me”. As I have already pointed out, this has not happened, as recognized by Anatel. So, that more forceful measures are taken, such as the identification of this type of call.