MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilian telemarketers have identification prefix added to their lines

Users may now decide whether to take calls offering services and products

Brazilian telemarketing companies have been forced to add a prefix to their telephone numbers since March 10, which allows recipients to decide whether they want to take incoming calls.

The 0303 code is to appear at the beginning of the number of any call that aims to offer products or services, the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) explained. So far, these changes apply only to mobile phone services but in 90 days, they should also be implemented at land telephone lines as well.

According to Anatel, the use of code 0303 will be exclusive and mandatory for active telemarketing activities, the practice of offering products or services through phone calls or messages, previously recorded or not. The measure determines that telecom networks must allow the clear identification of the code on the handset's display.

In addition, operators must preventively block calls stemming from active telemarketing at the request of the consumer. Operators will also be responsible for employing the necessary technological means to curb the use of calls outside the rules established by Anatel.

The Board of Directors of Anatel also approved in a virtual meeting Thursday the reassessment of the numbering regulation for telecommunication services. The new regulation simplifies and unifies numbering service rules, and addresses problems seen in specific issues such as Public Utilities, Provider Selection Code, Unique National Number, Numbering for the Global Mobile Satellite Service (GMSS), among others.

With the approval of a specific numbering plan for the SMGS, the Service's codes will not be confused with those of mobile services, which could result in higher-than-expected fees for consumers, it was explained.

The numbering plan is a necessary step for the Agency to distribute the SMGS numbering to the providers interested in delivering the service to consumers.

The Board's decision also brought advances for the future availability of fixed broadband numbering. With numbers dedicated to fixed broadband, consumers of this service will be able to communicate among themselves and with mobile and landline users without the need to contract a service provider other than broadband.

However, before Anatel starts distributing fixed-broadband numbers, it will be necessary, among other actions, to study network and interconnection fees.

The contributions received during the public consultation, between August and September 2020, also allowed for the improvement of the initial proposal for the National Unique Number (NUN). The regulation approved by Anatel's Board of Directors will come into force 180 days after its publication in the Diário Oficial da União (Official Gazette).