After three years of enforcement, the National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL) lifted the requirement for telemarketing companies to use the 0303 prefix in their calls. This mechanism was created to preserve consumers’ right to choose whether or not to answer an incoming call.
In response to numerous requests from telecommunications companies, telemarketing companies, and organizations such as the Legion of Good Will (LBV) and the National Federation of Associations of Parents and Friends of the Disabled (Fenapaes), the waiver of the mandatory prefix aims to remove the barrier created between consumers and institutions. Given the abusive calls that were occurring with the 0303 prefix, people stopped answering calls, harming charities such as APAES.
In return, Anatel introduced a new mechanism for companies. Those making more than 500,000 calls per month will have to adopt the authentication system known as Verified Origin, a tool that certifies the origin of the call and confirms that the calling company is truly who they claim to be. It prohibits calls from the same area code as the recipient but originating elsewhere.
According to Anatel, the 0303 prefix, created to identify telemarketing calls, is no longer the most efficient solution. The agency states that the Stir/Shaken call authentication protocol ensures greater transparency, as it allows consumers to see not only the originating number, but also the name of the company responsible for the call and even its logo, validated by a verification seal.
The technology also hinders spoofing—the masking of numbers used in scams and fraud—by automatically blocking suspicious calls.
The agency believes the new model should cover 50% of calls made on the network, while the 0303 prefix only reached 10%.
The measure, which is part of an integrated strategy against abusive calls, focuses on three pillars: (i) Reducing the number of unwanted calls; (ii) Greater transparency for consumers; (iii) Comprehensively combating telephone fraud.
Companies that meet the criteria will have 90 days to adapt to the Verified Origin authentication system.
Vivian da Silva Lopes – vivian.lopes@nascimentomourao.adv.br
Partner in the Volume Litigation practice.
