Call center calls are a common occurrence in people’s daily lives. They are often annoying or inappropriate due to the companies’ persistent calls, which is why some governments are considering regulations. For example, the Spanish government is promoting legislative changes to improve consumers’ daily interactions with companies and digital platforms. Meanwhile, in Peru, Congresswoman Diana Gonzales introduced a bill that would require all calls from call centers to include a standardized area code.
The government wants to put an end to them by requiring companies to use a specific prefix when making commercial calls
Spam calls have become a nightmare for many people. The government wants to put an end to them by requiring companies to use a specific prefix when making commercial calls. If they don’t, mobile operators will be able to automatically block these calls before they even ring. The goal is for users to immediately identify the type and origin of the call and decide whether or not to answer.
The Spanish government maintains that the idea is simple: if a commercial call can be identified by the first digit, it can also be filtered
On one hand, Gonzales Delgado argued that his bill aims to curb the telephone harassment that affects millions of Peruvians daily with unwanted service promotions and advertising campaigns. Meanwhile, the Spanish government maintains that the idea is simple: if a commercial call can be identified by the first digit, it can also be filtered. But this goes beyond a simple visual alert, as it would involve a technical and regulatory change that would affect telecommunications companies, call centers, and users alike.
“All contracts for goods or services made by telephone will be subject to ratification through a physical signature and delivery of the respective contract”
The Gonzales administration has announced that the proposed legislation also includes a special protection measure for adults over 70, stipulating that “all contracts for goods or services made by telephone will be subject to ratification through a physical signature and delivery of the respective contract.” Meanwhile, in Spain, the measure has been introduced as an amendment to the Customer Service Law and will be supported by a reform of the National Numbering Plan, which will allow for the creation of new, exclusive prefixes for business calls.
Telemarketing companies will only be able to call from numbers with a specific area code, yet to be determined
The regulatory changes go further, affecting more than just the company directly. For one thing, telemarketing companies will only be able to call from numbers with a specific area code, yet to be determined. Secondly, mobile operators will be able to automatically identify and block calls that violate this rule. Finally, smartphones will alert users on screen that it is a sales call, without the need for external apps or third-party filters.
Legislating these calls is important because they can not only be inconvenient for users but can also directly infringe on their privacy. These measures reinforce the general ban on unsolicited commercial calls, in effect since June 2023 following the reform of the General Telecommunications Law. The fact is, these calls continue to reach citizens because companies exploit loopholes or excuses, such as claiming you were a previous customer, that you consented by accepting cookies on a website, or that you haven’t explicitly requested to be removed from their records. Therefore, the fight will be a long one, as reaching an agreement when the law treads such a fine line can be complex. Although the priority is always the benefit of citizens, it remains to be seen what the proposed laws will ultimately become.