Privacy policy
How we collect, use and protect personal data. Last updated: 26 September 2026.
Who we are
PhoneAnswerer (“we”, “us”) provides PhoneAnswerer, an AI phone answering service for businesses. Our address is [registered address]. Contact us about privacy at [email protected].
Two kinds of data
Our customers' data. When a business signs up, we are the controller of their account data (name, email, business details, billing status).
Callers' data. When someone phones a business that uses PhoneAnswerer, we process the call on that business's behalf. The business is the controller and we are its processor. This includes the caller's phone number, the call recording, the transcript, the AI-generated summary and any details the caller gives (such as name, address or reason for calling).
What we use data for
- To answer calls, take messages, send texts the caller asks for and transfer calls, as set up by the business.
- To send the business notifications and let them review calls in their account.
- To run, secure and improve the service, prevent abuse and spam, and provide support.
- To bill customers and meet our legal obligations.
Our lawful bases are: performance of a contract (providing the service to our customers), legitimate interests (security, fraud and spam prevention, improving the service) and legal obligation (for example, tax records). We do not sell personal data and we do not use call recordings to train AI models.
Call recording
Calls are recorded so the business can review them. By default callers hear a notice at the start of the call that it may be recorded and that they are speaking with an AI assistant.
How long we keep data
| Data | How long |
|---|---|
| Call recordings | 30 days, then deleted automatically |
| Transcripts, summaries and messages | 12 months, then deleted automatically |
| Account data | While the account is open, then up to 6 years for accounting records |
Businesses can delete recordings sooner from their account at any time.
Where data is stored and who helps us
Our servers are in London (DigitalOcean, UK). We use these service providers (“sub-processors”):
| Provider | Purpose | Location |
|---|---|---|
| DigitalOcean | Hosting, database, stored recordings | United Kingdom |
| Twilio | Phone numbers, call connection, text messages | UK/EU and USA |
| OpenAI | The AI voice during calls, summaries, reading business websites | EU data-residency processing; USA |
| Mailtrap | Sending emails | EU/USA |
| Business Profile lookup, “Continue with Google” sign-in | USA/EU | |
| Cloudflare | Website security and delivery | Global |
Where data is transferred outside the UK, we rely on UK adequacy regulations or the UK International Data Transfer Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
Security
Data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS/TLS). Access to accounts is protected by passwords or Google sign-in, and each business can only ever see its own data.
Your rights
You have the right to access, correct or delete your personal data, to object to or restrict processing, and to data portability. If you called a business that uses PhoneAnswerer, please contact that business first — we will help them respond. You can also contact us at [email protected]. If you're unhappy, you can complain to the ICO (ico.org.uk).
Cookies
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Changes
We'll post any changes here and tell customers by email about important ones.