The Texto SMS Gratuit team
24 June 2026 · 5 min read
It's a small revolution for everyone's peace of mind in France. From 11 August 2026, unsolicited cold calling becomes illegal by default: a company will no longer be allowed to call you to sell anything without your prior agreement. On the same day, Bloctel — the national do-not-call list — ceases to exist.
This reform, from the law of 30 June 2025, completely flips the current logic. Here's what changes in practice for your calls, your texts and your privacy.
Photo: Unsplash — from August 2026, a sales call without your consent becomes unlawful.
From "opt-out" to "opt-in": the big switch
Until now, France ran on an opposition principle ("opt-out"): a company could call you unless your number was on the Bloctel list. It was up to you to register to stop being contacted — a system often criticised as ineffective.
From 11 August 2026, the logic reverses in favour of explicit consent ("opt-in"):
| Before 11 Aug 2026 | From 11 Aug 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Principle | Calls allowed unless you object | Calls banned unless you agree |
| What you must do | Register on Bloctel | Nothing: no consent means no |
| Bloctel's role | Do-not-call list | Service removed |
In practice, you no longer have anything to do to stop being cold-called. Silence now counts as a refusal.
What the law means by "consent"
To be allowed to call you, a company must have obtained consent that is freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous and revocable, expressed through a clear positive action. In other words: a pre-ticked box buried in a form is not enough, and you can withdraw your agreement at any time. Companies must also be able to prove that consent.
The penalties are heavy: administrative fines of up to €75,000 for an individual and €375,000 for a company in case of breach.
Where do SMS fit in?
Bloctel only ever covered voice calls. For commercial text messages, the prior consent rule (opt-in) has in fact applied since the GDPR came into force in 2018: a brand can only send you a marketing text if you agreed to receive it.
Three habits remain useful against unwanted texts:
- The word "STOP": every legal marketing SMS must let you unsubscribe by replying STOP. It's free and immediate.
- 33700: to report an unsolicited or fraudulent text, forward it to 33700, France's official anti-spam service. We explain how in our guide on SMS scams and smishing.
- Caution: aggressive marketing is often the first step towards a phishing attempt. To limit your exposure, see our tips for protecting your SMS privacy.
Photo: Unsplash — replying "STOP" or reporting to 33700 stays your best defence against unwanted texts.
Some sectors are already fully banned
The 2025 law adds to older sector-specific bans. Marketing related to home energy renovation (heat pumps, insulation, solar panels) has been prohibited across all channels — phone, SMS, email or social media — since 1 July 2025. A text offering this kind of service is therefore illegal by nature.
Why this matters to us
At Texto SMS Gratuit, we believe a message should be useful and wanted, never forced on anyone. That's the opposite of mass marketing: our service lets you send a text for free to a French mobile, with no sign-up, no ads and no commitment. No database resold, no hidden prospecting — just a message, whenever you choose to send it.
This reform is part of a broader modernisation of French telecoms, alongside the 2G shutdown and the rise of RCS against SMS.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to do anything before 11 August 2026? No. Unlike Bloctel, the new system requires no registration: without your consent, cold calling is banned automatically.
Does my Bloctel registration really disappear? Yes. The service shuts down on 11 August 2026, when its concession ends. It becomes pointless, since silence now counts as a refusal.
Can I still receive marketing texts? Only if you consented to them (GDPR). Otherwise, reply STOP or report the message to 33700.
What should I do about an abusive call or text after that date? You can report it to the authorities (33700 for texts, the DGCCRF for calls). Fines can reach €375,000 for a company.
In short
11 August 2026 marks the end of unwanted cold calling: explicit consent becomes the rule, and Bloctel disappears. For SMS, the prior-agreement rule already exists — and the right habits (STOP, 33700) remain your best allies. Got a question? Our FAQ and contact page are there, and you can always send a free SMS in seconds, with nothing to install.
