Changes to Telstra-held CLIs
From the 1st of March 2022 onwards, Telstra will be actively blocking calls from entering its network if they are made using Telstra-held caller IDs (CLIs). Consequently, any CLIs operated by Telstra on your VoIPline account should be removed as we cannot guarantee that your calls will be connected if the CLIs are still in use after the 1st of March.
Recently, there has been a spike in the number of spam call activities which indicates CLI spoofing is being conducted widely in Australia. Essentially, CLI spoofing happens when scammers mask their identity, commonly by displaying an Australian number, to increase the likelihood for the calls to be picked up. To read more about this, you can refer to this page by ACMA on CLI and spoofing: https://www.acma.gov.au/calling-line-identification-and-spoofing.
Based on data released by Scamwatch, approximately 84,000 scam calls were recorded in a 6-months period in 2021 as compared to the 34,000 scam calls in the same period in 2020. This amounts to a massive 145% increase in scam calls!
As a preventative effort in reducing CLI spoofing, Telstra has gone above and beyond the Communications Alliance C661: 2020 Reducing Scam Calls Industry Code to start blocking calls from entering their network if the calls are using CLIs operated by Telstra. Follow this link to read more about the C661 code: https://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/all/codes/c661.
What should I do next?
Remove any Telstra-held CLI on your VoIPline account: This is to ensure all outbound calls can be connected smoothly as calls with Telstra caller ID may be disconnected.
Port your numbers to VoIPline: This change does not impact numbers on VoIPline’s network so you can continue using the CLI by porting it to us! The porting application is under the “porting tab” on your customer portal. Please refer to our knowledge base article for more information on number porting: https://www.voipline.net.au/support/article/360000210216-Moving-Telephone-Numbers-to-a-New-Provider
Consider adopting VoIPline numbers as your caller ID: We stock a wide range of Australian and international numbers. You can browse for numbers on your customer portal or email us at support@voipline.net.au to request numbers with specific requirements.
Contact VoIPline for more information
If you have any questions regarding this change, please feel free to get in touch with us at support@voipline.net.au or by calling us on 1300 864 754. As always, we strive to improve and are committed to providing you with our high-quality products and services. We thank you for your understanding in this matter and your continued support.
