Since August 11, 2026, the rule for telemarketing in France has been reversed. Until then, a company could call a consumer as long as they hadn't opted out by signing up to Bloctel, the national do-not-call register. Now, as a rule, a company can only make a sales call to a consumer who has given their consent before the call.
The change is often presented as a prospecting issue. It is one, but not only: for companies that follow the law, it also changes the value and the rules of every conversation on a contact center floor, including customer service and support hotlines.
This article sums up what has changed, what it means for outbound and inbound calls alike, and how AI can help advisors make every call count.
This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice.
The reform comes from the French law of June 30, 2025 against public-aid fraud, detailed by a decree of July 23, 2026. The key points:
And in practice? Unwanted calls haven't disappeared. More than 26,000 complaints were filed on SignalConso, the French government's consumer reporting platform, in the first month alone, prompting a written question to the government in the National Assembly. Number spoofing, operators based abroad, companies that ignore the law: a ban doesn't stop a phone from ringing. The figure should be read with caution, though: part of these complaints have simply moved from Bloctel, which no longer exists, to SignalConso.
But for companies that play by the rules, those with a brand, customers and contracts to protect, the rules really have changed. The rest of this article is for them.
For telesales teams, the effect is mechanical: the number of people you're allowed to call goes down, and every consent you collect has a cost (forms, campaigns, web journeys).
Conversion rate becomes the key metric. When a low conversion rate could be offset by call volume, the quality of any single call mattered less. With a shorter list, a poorly handled call is a lost opportunity you won't make up on the next contact.
Accuracy becomes a legal risk. A misquoted price, an option presented as included when it isn't, a forgotten condition: these mistakes already existed. But when contracts signed without valid consent can be voided and the regulator is watching the sector closely, they cost more.
Consent is also managed during the call. A customer who says “don't call me again” mid-conversation is withdrawing their consent. If that information gets lost between the advisor and the contact database, the next call is made without consent.
The law governs the sales calls you make. It doesn't cover the calls customers make to you. That's exactly what makes customer service teams more strategic than before.
The inbound call becomes the most valuable sales moment. When customers call on their own (a billing question, a change in circumstances, a technical issue), the conversation is already under way and the context is known. Offering something genuinely useful at that moment, without turning a service call into a hard sell, becomes a growth lever that prospecting no longer provides as easily.
The line between follow-up and prospecting becomes a compliance issue. Calling a customer back about their existing contract is still allowed. But a “case follow-up” call that drifts into selling another product falls outside that exception. What used to be commercial common sense becomes something to monitor.
Consent withdrawal can come through customer service. A customer may well tell a hotline advisor they no longer want to receive offers. Since consent can be withdrawn verbally, that information has to be passed on, even when it was expressed to a team that doesn't do any prospecting.
Collecting consent over the phone is possible, with rigor. A customer who calls in can agree to be contacted about offers. Consent given verbally is valid as long as it is handled like written consent: the request must include all the information required by the decree (the company's identity, the type of offers, how long consent lasts, how to withdraw it), the customer must clearly accept, and the proof must be kept for three years. However, consent must come before the sales call: it cannot be requested at the start of an outbound call to make that call compliant after the fact.
An augmented agent is a human advisor assisted by an AI that listens to the conversation. It doesn't replace your contact management tool, where proof of consent is stored, or your legal team. It works where both have the least reach: inside the conversation itself.
During the call
After the call
Can customer service still make an offer during an inbound call?
The reform targets sales calls made by the company, not calls it receives. Making an offer during an inbound call is still possible, in line with the usual consumer information rules.
Is consent given over the phone valid?
Yes, as long as it is handled like written consent: a request containing all the information required by the decree, a clear acceptance from the customer, and proof kept for three years. It must, however, be collected before the sales call, not during it.
What should you do when a customer says “don't call me again”?
Treat it as a withdrawal of consent, which can be expressed verbally, and make sure the information reaches the teams that make calls. The AI can detect the phrase during the call and, with the right integrations, push it to your tools immediately.
Are calls related to an existing contract still allowed?
Yes, when they concern the subject matter of that contract. A follow-up call that is really used to sell another product falls outside that exception.
Why are people still getting so many sales calls?
Because a ban doesn't technically stop a phone from ringing: some calls come from operators that don't follow the law, from number spoofing or from fraud. The obligations described here apply to every company, but it's the ones that comply that need to rethink how they call.
The end of telemarketing without prior consent reduces the number of outbound calls you can make, but it increases the value of every conversation, outbound and inbound alike. The teams that will do best won't be the ones that call the most, but the ones whose every call is accurate, compliant and useful to the customer.
CogNeed helps sales and customer service teams make every call count: the right information during the conversation, checking and analysis afterwards. Book a demo →
Want to join the conversation? Find this topic on our LinkedIn post.
Sources
The real-time conversational assistant for customeer service and nomad sales teams, serving customer experience to more efficient conversations.
Terms of servicePrivacy PolicyAcceptable Use PolicyLegal Notice
