Ofcom has opened separate investigations into Vonage Business Limited and Voxbone SA over concerns that telephone numbers allocated to the companies may have been misused, including to perpetrate scams.
The UK regulator is not alleging that either company has run scam activity. Nor has it reached any findings. But its decision to investigate does bring a growing enterprise voice problem into sharper focus.
In its official statement, the regulator said:
“Ofcom has today opened two separate investigations into telecoms providers, Vonage Business Limited and Voxbone SA, relating to concerns that telephone numbers held by the companies are being misused, including to perpetrate scams.”
The potential reputational damage that could ensue cannot be overlooked.
A phone number is often the first point of contact between a business and its customers. When that number is used to make a scam look legitimate, the damage can stretch well beyond the individual victim.
What Is Ofcom Investigating?
Ofcom says it has gathered information that raised concerns about the use of numbers allocated to Vonage Business and Voxbone.
The investigations will assess whether the providers complied with General Condition B1. The rule covers the effective and efficient use of telephone numbers, alongside the steps communications providers take to oversee how those numbers are used.
Ofcom will also consider whether the companies took appropriate action to prevent numbers being misused by businesses or individuals they had transferred them to, and whether those numbers were being used in line with the National Telephone Numbering Plan.
In the announcement, Ofcom set out what it expects from providers that hold and allocate numbers:
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Carry out “know your customer” checks on business customers
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Keep risks under review by monitoring for potential misuse
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Respond proactively when misuse is reported.
While it is unreasonable to expect a provider to control every interaction that passes through its network, it is their responsibility to ensure that the controls around number allocation, downstream customers, and suspected fraud are strong enough when things go wrong.
A Growing Trust Problem for Enterprise Voice
The knock-on effect of any potential wrongdoing is damaging customer trust.
Many enterprises now rely on a web of carriers, CPaaS vendors, resellers, and APIs to power outbound calls, customer notifications, authentication messages, and contact center services. This brings scale and flexibility. It can also make accountability harder to trace.
A customer who receives a convincing scam call is unlikely to distinguish between a number owner, a communications platform, a reseller, and the brand being impersonated.
They simply know that a number they trusted was used against them.
