- In the past seven years, complaints about unwanted telemarketing calls have dropped by more than 80 percent.
- Consumer protection mainly attributes this development to the use of advertising call filters and stricter laws.
Since 2015, the number of complaints has fallen from 27,908 to 2,714 in the first half of the current year. Extrapolated for the whole year, there are likely to be around 5,500 complaints in 2022. This was the result of an evaluation by the Alliance of Consumer Protection Organizations, as stated in their announcement.
Since 2012, advertising calls have been punishable despite a star entry. Calls are permitted if someone agrees or if there is a business relationship. According to consumer protection, enforcing this provision proved difficult in practice.
Default enabled filter required
Although the revised Telecommunications Ordinance since July 1 of last year has required all telecom providers to offer their customers protection against illegal advertising calls, this is not automatic. While Salt and Quickline have switched on the advertising call filter for all customers, Swisscom and Sunrise customers have to become active.
Many Swisscom customers and especially Sunrise do not yet know that they have to switch on the advertising call filter.
“Many Swisscom customers and especially Sunrise do not yet know that they have to turn on the advertising call filter,” said Consumer Protection President Nadine Masshardt in the statement. From the consumer’s point of view, it would be desirable if these filters were activated by default, because they are the best way to prevent illegal advertising calls and telephone fraud.