Anatel establishes new anti-spam rules for Brazilian operators

Anatel has established standardized rules for telecommunications operators in Brazil to implement anti-spam mechanisms against unwanted calls. The new guidelines, detailed in Decisory Dispatch No. 82/2026, aim to resolve previous disputes between operators regarding the use of such systems.

Under the new regulations, the adoption of anti-spam tools is optional for operators, but those that choose to offer them must adhere to principles of transparency, proportionality, and non-discrimination. The service must be provided free of charge to all customers, and users must be informed about how the system works before activation. Consumers retain the right to opt-out or deactivate the service at any time, with a maximum processing period of 24 hours for such requests.

Operators are permitted to use various criteria to identify potentially abusive calls, such as call volume, duration, and completion rates, though call volume cannot be the sole factor for blocking. Crucially, the rules prohibit the blocking of calls from essential services, including police, health services, civil defense, fire departments, and emergency medical services. Additionally, calls from authenticated fixed numbers via Verified Origin cannot be repelled. Operators maintain technological autonomy to develop their own solutions as long as they comply with these federal standards.