An auto dialer, autodialer, or autodialler is an electronic device or software that automatically dials telephone numbers. Once the call has been answered, the autodialer either plays a recorded message or connects the call to a live person.
When an auto dialer plays a pre-recorded message, it’s often called “voice broadcasting”, or “robocalling”. Systems that perform auto dialing are sometimes called voice message broadcasting systems. While the term “robocalling” has negative connotations associated with political campaign use, auto dialer systems are routinely used by medical professionals and health care networks to provide appointment reminders, and pharmacies to notify customers that prescriptions have been filled.
Some voice broadcasting messages ask the person who answers to press a button on their phone keypad, such as in opinion polls in which recipients are asked to press one digit if they support one side of an issue, or another digit if they support the other side. This type of call is often called “outbound interactive voice response.”
A key technology for auto dialers is the ability to detect live human pickup and answering machine. Since there is no indication/hardware signal when a call is answered by an answering machine or voicemail system, auto dialer systems have to analyze incoming audio in order to make a prediction. Currently, there is no algorithm that can achieve 100% accuracy.
The U.S. Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 places certain restrictions on auto dialing systems, such as prohibiting their use for mass message broadcasting to consumers.
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