[REVISION HISTORY]

Brazilian telecom anti-spam regulation dispute

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-28 17:12 UTC → 2026-09-01 01:14 UTC · added ~~removed~~

A dispute emerged in Brazil following the implementation of an anti-spam tool by telecom operator Vivo. The system, designed to block robocalls and spoofed numbers by analyzing caller behavior and authentication, faced complaints from at least seven other telecommunications providers. These operators filed complaints with the national regulator, Anatel, alleging that the filter was overreaching and blocking legitimate calls from essential services such as hospitals, municipal offices, and public-service hotlines. In response, Anatel established new standardized rules for telecommunications operators through Decisory Dispatch No. 82/2026. The new regulations make anti-spam tools optional but require that any operator using them must follow principles of transparency, proportionality, and non-discrimination. The rules mandate that these services be free of charge and allow users to opt-out within 24 hours. To prevent the issues raised during the initial dispute, the new guidelines explicitly prohibit the blocking of calls from emergency and essential services, including police, health services, civil defense, and fire departments. While operators may use criteria like call volume and duration to identify abuse, call volume alone cannot be the sole basis for blocking. Furthermore, calls from authenticated fixed numbers via the ‘Verified Origin’ system cannot be repelled. Recent developments clarify that these tools must be enabled by default and provided free of charge to all customers. Operators are now required to establish communication channels for users to contest blocked numbers, with a mandatory response time of up to 10 business days. ~~These regulatory measures have received support from the Ministry~~ Additionally, companies implementing these mechanisms must notify Anatel within seven days, providing detailed descriptions of ~~Communications~~ their systems, criteria, and contestation procedures. While operators may choose their own technology to identify and treat calls, the ~~Ministry of Justice~~ regulatory framework aims to combat telemarketing, debt collection, and ~~Public Security.~~ fraud while protecting legitimate communications.

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