Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of June 4, 2026, from the State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure |
|---|---|
| Modified regulation | Resolution of December 9, 2021 (assignment of number 024) |
| Publication | June 17, 2026 |
| Entry into force | June 18, 2026 |
| Affected parties | Telecommunications operators and users of the 024 service |
| Category | Regulatory Changes |
| New service manager | Commissioner for Mental Health of the Ministry of Health (Royal Decree 718/2024) |
| Call model | Automatic reverse charge — no charge to the origin nor registration on bill |
Calls to 024 —the helpline for people at risk of suicidal behavior— no longer generate any type of economic record for the user making the call. The Resolution of June 4, 2026 from the State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure modifies the original 2021 regulation and requires all operators to treat these calls as automatic reverse charge: no billing at origin and the number does not appear on the user's bill.
The change came into force on June 18, 2026, one day after its publication in the Official State Gazette. For operators, this is not a recommendation: it is a technical and legal obligation for immediate implementation.
What does this regulation establish?
The resolution introduces two specific changes compared to the 2021 regulation:
| Aspect | Before (Resolution Dec. 9, 2021) | Now (Resolution Jun. 4, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Call billing | Non-billing and absence from bill were not specified | No charge to the origin. The 024 number does not appear on the user's bill |
| Call model | Free call (no cost), but without explicit regulation of registration | Automatic reverse charge, with active protection of the caller's privacy |
| Service management entity | Previous management entity (previous organizational structure) | Commissioner for Mental Health of the Ministry of Health (in accordance with Royal Decree 718/2024) |
The key concept is automatic reverse charge: the cost of the call is assumed by the destination (the 024 service), not the origin (the user). But beyond the cost, what is decisive is the complete absence of registration on the bill: neither the number dialed nor the duration of the call will appear in any billing document accessible to the user or third parties.
This change strengthens the privacy of vulnerable people, eliminating the risk that a family member, employer, or any other person with access to the telephone bill could detect that this call was made.
Economic and operational impact
For telecommunications operators, the impact is mainly operational and technical:
- They must modify their billing systems to exclude the 024 number from any record visible to the user.
- They must implement the automatic reverse charge model, ensuring that no charge is generated on the originating line.
- The adaptation affects both billing and detailed call records (CDRs) delivered to the customer.
For service users, the impact is positive and direct: the call is completely free and leaves no trace on the bill, eliminating a barrier to accessing the service for people at risk.
No data has been published on the volume of calls to 024 or on the cost of technical adaptation for operators in the text of the resolution. The economic impact for each operator will depend on the complexity of their billing systems and the volume of calls they handle.
Who does it affect?
- Telecommunications operators: all those providing voice service in Spain are obligated to implement the technical changes in their billing and call routing systems.
- Users of the 024 service: people who call the number for assistance with suicidal behavior, who from June 18, 2026 are guaranteed that the call will not appear on their bill.
- Commissioner for Mental Health of the Ministry of Health: assumes management of the service in place of the previous entity, in application of Royal Decree 718/2024 which reorganized the organizational structure of the Ministry.
- Compliance and technical departments of operators: responsible for verifying that systems are adapted from June 18, 2026.
Practical example
A user of any telecommunications operator calls 024 on June 20, 2026. Before the resolution, depending on the operator, that call could appear in the call detail of the monthly bill with the number dialed and duration.
From June 18, 2026, that same call generates no charge on the user's line and does not appear in any billing record. The operator treats it as automatic reverse charge: the cost is assumed by the 024 service, and the 024 number does not appear in the list of calls made that the user receives on their bill. A family member with access to the bill cannot know that this call was made.
For the operator, this means that their billing generation systems and detailed call records must be configured to filter 024 before June 18, 2026 —the date of entry into force— or from that date if the adaptation was not completed in time.
What should companies do now?
- Verify the status of technical adaptation: the technical departments of operators must confirm that their billing systems already exclude the 024 number from records visible to the user. The deadline was June 18, 2026.
- Update CDR systems (detailed call records): ensure that 024 does not appear in any billing document delivered to the customer, neither in digital nor paper bills.
- Implement the automatic reverse charge model: configure call routing to 024 so that the charge is attributed to the destination and not the origin.
- Update internal documentation: reflect the change in the managing entity of the 024 service, which is now the Commissioner for Mental Health of the Ministry of Health in accordance with Royal Decree 718/2024.
- Review contracts and interconnection agreements: if there are specific agreements related to 024 routing, update them to reflect the new automatic reverse charge model and the new managing entity.
Frequently asked questions
Since when do calls to 024 not appear on the bill?
Since June 18, 2026, the date of entry into force of the Resolution of June 4, 2026 from the State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure. From that date, no call to 024 can generate a charge to the user or appear on their telephone bill.
What is automatic reverse charge applied to 024?
It is the model by which the cost of the call to 024 is assumed by the destination —the assistance service itself— and not by the user making the call. Additionally, it means that the 024 number is not recorded on the bill or in the user's call detail, guaranteeing complete privacy.
What must telecommunications operators do to comply with this regulation?
Operators are obligated to implement the necessary technical changes in their billing systems so that 024 does not generate a charge at origin or appear on the user's bill. They must configure routing as automatic reverse charge. The obligation applies from June 18, 2026.
Who manages the 024 service now?
Since the entry into force of this resolution, the managing entity of the 024 service is the Commissioner for Mental Health of the Ministry of Health, in line with the new ministerial organizational structure established by Royal Decree 718/2024. Previously, management corresponded to the entity designated in the original resolution of December 9, 2021.
What regulation does this resolution modify and what changes compared to it?
It modifies the Resolution of December 9, 2021, which assigned the 024 number to the helpline service for people at risk of suicidal behavior. The specific changes are two: the incorporation of the automatic reverse charge model with complete absence of registration on the bill, and the update of the managing entity to the Commissioner for Mental Health in accordance with Royal Decree 718/2024.
Official source
Consult complete regulation at official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-13201