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Compliance and Technology Considerations for Outbound Calling in Australia

Overview

This page outlines the key compliance requirements and technology considerations for outbound calling in Australia. It is designed to help businesses understand and adhere to ACMA regulations, navigate carrier-level scam protections from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, and TPG, and adapt to new device-level screening features like Apple’s iOS 26 call screening and existing call screening and filtering features from Android devices.

Regulatory Framework

Outbound calling is governed by:

General Compliance Requirements

  1. Respect the Do Not Call Register

    • Wash call lists regularly.

    • Exemptions apply for charities, political parties, and educational institutions.

  2. Permitted Calling Times

    • Weekdays: 9 am–8 pm

    • Saturdays: 9 am–5 pm

    • No calls on Sundays or public holidays.

  3. Caller Identification

    • Must display a valid, reachable number.

    • Disclose the caller’s name, business, purpose, and contact info.

  4. Respect Opt-Out Requests

    • Immediate termination of the call upon request.

    • Maintain internal suppression lists.

1. Carrier-Specific Scam Protection Features

Telstra – Scam Protect

  • Automatic scam alerts on incoming calls.

  • Works across Telstra and MVNOs (e.g., Boost, Belong).

  • Cannot be disabled by users.

Optus – Call Stop

  • Blocks calls to known scam numbers.

  • Plays a warning message to flagged callers.

  • Integrated with major banks and AFCX.

Vodafone / TPG – CallShield & SpamShield

  • AI-driven scam call and SMS protection.

  • Available across Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, and Felix brands.

  • Includes Malicious Call Trace for persistent harassment.

2. iOS 26 Call Screening

Apple’s iOS 26 introduces AI-powered call screening that significantly affects outbound calling strategies.

How It Works:

  • Calls from unknown numbers are intercepted by AI.

  • Caller must state their name and reason (max 250 characters).

  • The message is transcribed and shown to the recipient.

  • The recipient chooses to accept, ignore, or block the call.

Relevance to the Australian Market:

  • Apple holds over 50% of the smartphone market in Australia.

  • Cold calls to iPhones may never ring unless the message is compelling.

  • Spam-labelled numbers are blocked entirely, bypassing even screening.

3. Android Spam Call Filtering Features in Australia

Samsung – Smart Call (Powered by Hiya)

  • Caller ID & Spam Protection: Identifies unknown callers and flags potential spam or fraud.

  • Auto-blocking: Automatically blocks known scam numbers.

  • Reporting Tools: Users can report spam calls directly from the call log.

  • Business Caller ID: Verified businesses can display their name and reason for calling.

  • Activation: Go to Phone App > Settings > Caller ID and Spam Protection

4. Google Pixel – Call Screen & Hold For Me

  • Call Screen: Google Assistant answers unknown calls, asks the caller to identify themselves, and shows a live transcript.

  • Spam Detection: Automatically declines robocalls and suspected spam.

  • Hold For Me: Assistant waits on hold during business calls and alerts you when a rep is available.

  • Privacy: All processing is done on-device, protecting user data.

  • Activation: Phone App > Settings > Spam and Call Screen > Enable Call Screen

5. Other Android Phones (e.g. Motorola, Oppo, Nokia)

  • Caller ID & Spam Protection: Built into the Google Phone app.

  • Filter Spam Calls: Automatically blocks calls flagged as spam.

  • Report Spam: Users can report spam calls and texts to Google.

  • Activation: Phone App > Menu (⋮) > Settings > Spam and Call Screen > Enable Caller ID and Spam Protection

6. Relevance to the Australian Market:

  • Android’s built-in spam protection aligns with Australia’s Scams Code Framework, enforced by ACMA.

  • These features help users screen calls before answering, reducing exposure to fraud.

  • They complement national efforts like the SMS Sender ID Register and Scam Telecommunications Action Taskforce

7. Risks:

  • Parallel diallers and robotic introductions are penalised.

  • Poorly crafted messages result in silent blocks.

  • Missed calls leave a digital footprint, but only if the message resonates.

8. Best practices for Australian outbound teams:

  • Use verified business numbers with third-party services like Hiya.

  • Keep intros natural, relevant, and under 5 seconds.

  • Monitor number reputation weekly and rotate CLI (Calling Line Identification) periodically.

  • Warm leads via digital channels, SMS, or email before calling.

  • Be problem-focused and curiosity-driven.

  • The IPscape dialler uses SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) response codes from telco carriers to identify call outcomes like no answers, abandoned calls, or telco errors. Since no SIP code exists for answering machines, it uses a prebuilt algorithm based on Asterisk voice technology. The AMD (Answer Machine Detection) logic considers:

    • Initial silence over 2.5 seconds

    • Continuous speech longer than 1.5 seconds

    • Detection of more than five words without a significant pause

      • Words are continuous sounds longer than 100ms

      • Pauses between words of at least 50ms

      • Long pauses are silence over 800ms

This approach lets the dialler distinguish live calls from voicemail, improving agent efficiency and contact rates.

Disclaimer: The effectiveness of call lists or outreach depends on factors like data quality, alignment with target markets, demographics, and predictive indicators such as propensity to buy.

  • IPscape partners with Tier 1 Australian carriers and can provision geolocated and mobile Direct In-Dial (DID) numbers on request, ensuring compliance with Australian CLI regulations and enhancing call delivery and trust.

  • Third-party caller ID services like Hiya and Truecaller do not integrate with Australian telco carriers. These independent applications screen calls by identifying unknown numbers to block spam and scams. Hiya offers businesses call branding and AI screening; Truecaller identifies unknown numbers and provides flash messaging. They maintain independent databases where users mark numbers as spam. Australian carriers have no control over these apps. If your number is marked spam, contact providers to whitelist it, which may require a subscription or fees.

9. References

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