Vivo anti‑spam system triggers telecom dispute in Brazil

Vivo’s anti‑spam tool, launched in November 2024 and automatically enabled on new lines, blocks mass‑originated calls that lack proper identification. The system analyses call authentication (STIR/SHAKEN) and caller behavior to filter out robocalls and spoofed numbers.

At least seven telecom operators and service providers, including TIM, Adyl Telecom, 3corp Technology, Net2Phone Brasil, Agera Telecomunicações, Ateky Internet and Ágil Telecom, have filed complaints with Brazil’s Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações (Anatel). They allege that the filter also blocks legitimate calls from hospitals, public‑service hotlines, municipal offices and other essential services.

Anatel is reviewing the criteria used by the anti‑spam mechanism to balance consumer protection against unwanted telemarketing and fraud with the need to preserve critical communications. The dispute follows broader concerns about persistent unwanted calls in Brazil, where robocalls, number spoofing and limited reach of the “Não Me Perturbe” registry continue to affect millions of users. A forthcoming “Origem Verificada” system aims to authenticate corporate callers more widely by 2028.