In the age of COVID-19, communication is more essential than ever.
Your mobile device is indispensable when it comes to connecting with loved ones – and to a world faced with a global pandemic.
Mobile devices are also one of the most important means of communication in terms of trade and commerce since buyer and service provider or seller come into direct contact through voice and text-based services.
Yet dangers lurk in such a simple operating environment: some economic agents deliberately create an imbalance in the relationship between caller and receiver by flooding users with unwanted calls.
A new ITU study paper looks at some of these challenges as well as at actions being undertaken to address unsolicited commercial communications across the world.
Fraudulent calls on the rise
Not all unsolicited calls can be brushed off as a mere disturbance: some mislead the receiver into illegal practices. We have all received that unwelcome sales call at one time or another – typically at family mealtimes – but these are not of a bygone era.
In fact, such fraudulent calls have been on the rise.
One of the companies that offer call blocking applications claimed to have identified and blocked nearly 18 billion so-called "spam calls" in 2018, 26 billion in 2019 and 31.3 billion in 2020 according to their latest annual report.
A common scenario is your mobile or office phone ringing for a few brief minutes from an unknown number. Upon answering, the caller hangs up to try and get you to return the call. If you call back, you are routed to a call with sky-high charges (such as an overseas premium call) – but you will only get to know this after receiving your phone bill. Until then, you have unknowingly become the victim of 'a high-cost premium call' scam.
Although there are no known global statistics from institutional sources about such unwanted calls, a few mechanisms devised by market players and telecommunication networks exist to safeguard consumers.
Defence strategies in place
Telecommunication networks rely on infrastructure and technical measures including caller ID and the allocation of specific numbers for telemarketing usage. However, consumer engagement through digital campaigns to educate users by creating awareness on social media, updating institutional websites, and even face-to-face activities to guide users, have proven effective in defending unsuspecting users against unsolicited calls and messages.
A common practice is for users to proactively to register their phone number with a reliable company or the national telecommunications regulator to activate a do-not-disturb or do-not-call service which gives the user the option to block unwanted calls or text messages. The ITU study paper provides a number of examples, including but not limited to the Bloctel service in France, Australia's Do Not Call Register, and 'Não Me Perturbe' in Brazil.
Country-level actions
National Regulatory Agencies (NRA) in collaboration with stakeholders can reduce the potential for harm caused by unsolicited communications through public consultation, alerts, surveys, public meetings and select measures.
Consultation is the key to quality regulations and decisions on specific actions to maintain a safe and fair environment in the telecommunications industry. Alerts through emails and social media are used to communicate with people who register on the NRA website and highlight consultation documents and decisions. Surveys and interviews can also help to provide consumer feedback and market insights that aid in preparing consultation documents.
The telecommunication industry must work towards respecting consumer rights and consumer preferences. In Brazil, the telecommunication industry has adopted a voluntary code of conduct. In India, industry actors collaborated with the national regulatory authority (TRAI) to implement blockchain-based solutions aimed at protecting consumers from nuisance calls. More details and references are available in the ITU-D study paper here.
Users need to stay aware of the latest technology-enabled fraud and solutions, understand their rights and alert regulators and operators when they encounter unwanted commercial communications.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for universal access to the Internet and ICTs as well as the need for inclusiveness. At the same time, consumer safety must not be forgotten. Consumer education and awareness of malpractices is the first step in achieving a safer telecommunication environment for all.
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