What does mobile call recording compliance mean in practice?

Many Unified Communications platforms and solutions offer call recording, but for mobile they typically require a client on the device to handle calls, acting as a SIP extension.

But, what happens when a call is made to a mobile number through the native mobile network? Can you ensure that it’s compliant? A network-based solution provides the answer.

Many providers of Unified Communications (UC) platforms offer some form of call recording – but very few of them actually support compliant mobile call recording. That’s because many solutions require the use of a VoIP client on mobile devices, which effectively acts as a SIP extension.

Calls handled by this client can be recorded – but if calls are made to the mobile using your mobile number, they fall outside of the client’s capabilities and so cannot be recorded. So, UC solutions may offer recording, but they cannot necessarily provide support for your compliance programmes.

Network-based call recording covers your mobile call recording obligations

True mobile network recording requires integration of the recording solution with the core of the mobile network to which the user subscribes. Generally, this means integration with what’s called the IMS – essentially, a specialised session handling control server that manages calls (in technical terms, sessions) for users that are connected to that network.

IMS platforms are typically deployed in fixed, mobile and converged networks and provide additional functions, like security, as well as the interconnection with other networks. So, they also manage calls to and from other national and international operators for subscribers to that network.

Basically, every mobile or fixed call session will be managed by the IMS in each network, so if a mobile subscriber makes a call using the dialler on their device (a normal mobile call, in other words), this will pass through the IMS, as will calls to each subscriber from other mobile users, on the same network or on different networks.

So, in corporate terms, you will have a preferred network operator – for example, Telenor Norway – for your mobile airtime, even if you use a third-party UC solution from another provider. VoIP calls will be delivered across internet connections and will essentially be invisible to the network provider, while mobile calls to your MSISDN (your mobile number) will be similarly invisible to your UC client.

This is reflected in your mobile phone bills. All mobile calls will be logged and shown on your itemised bill – but calls to a VoIP client are treated as data and, like all your data consuming activities, will not be itemised.

What this means is that the only way to guarantee compliance for mobile calls is to adopt a service that is integrated with the MNO from which you buy connectivity, so that every mobile call that needs to be recorded actually is.

So, for a business that has, say, 150 mobile accounts with a provider, you'll also need to ensure that you can access a recording service that is integrated with that provider, regardless of whether you have a separate UC service.

Bear in mind, that there are many applications for call recording, including employee training, assessing customer satisfaction, dispute resolution, business insight (in terms of customer trends and requirements), and so on – which means that compliance is just one reason why you might want to adopt a mobile call recording service.

But mobile call recording for compliance purposes is not a choice. It has a very different set of obligations to those for customer insight or employee training, for example.

What does compliance call recording mean in practice?

That’s why the Touch call Recording Service is network based and integrated with the core network of the mobile operators on which it is available. Every mobile call is recorded – for example, a financial adviser might be included (under MiFID II, for example) to ensure mobile call recording for compliance purposes.

Once a user is quickly and easily on-boarded by an administrator, no human intervention is required, and the mobile call recording service cannot be tampered with by an employee, regardless of their location.

It just works automatically. It’s also possible to add further rules, such as whitelists to exclude personal calls for example, or only recording for incoming calls.

Touch Call Recording Service offers the best option for banks and financial services companies, as it provides 100% guaranteed call recording compliance — for mobile and 60 other channels — that can be applied and customised to suit any role or employee, and ensures that calls to their mobile numbers are also included in your compliance programme.

On completion of the call or digital communication, the file is encrypted via a two-stage process, sent to the Touch storage centre (and mirrored to a geo-redundant site), where it is securely stored. Only metadata is stored in our database and only authorised personnel can access each file. Every search is also recorded (by username, time, date, search parameters, and so on) so there is a tamper-proof auditing and call recording path.

Importantly, the Touch Call Recording Service covers over 60 channels, including mobile and fixed voice calls, MS Teams conferences (audio and video), banking applications such as Bloomberg and Refinitiv Eikon / LSEG Messenger, PBX deployments (remote, hybrid, or on-premise), and so on – which means you can ensure compliance across all channels employed in your organisation.

When it comes to compliance every base needs to be covered, without fail. That’s why Touch Call Recording Service is integrated with a growing number of mobile network operators’ core IMS – in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the UK, Singapore, Germany, and more. So, Touch can help you on your compliance journey – and overcome the limitations of UC solutions that are not optimised for mobile call recording.