FINRA · SEC 17a-4 · WORM
FINRA · SEC 17a-4 · WORM FINRA
& SEC 17a-4.
Broker-dealers, RIAs, and FINRA-registered firms use DialPhone for advisor communications with compliant recording, retention, and supervisory review built in.
FINRA Rules 4511 (books and records) and 3110 (supervision), together with SEC Rule 17a-4(b)(4), require broker-dealers and FINRA-registered firms to retain business communications for periods that range from three to seven years depending on the record type — with supervisory review of customer-facing communications and immutable, tamper-evident archive storage. The compliance burden grows once messaging (SMS, chat) is in scope alongside voice, because every channel needs the same retention and review workflow.
DialPhone covers the full communications footprint for FINRA-registered firms. Voice calls record by default with WORM (write-once-read-many) archive storage and SHA-256 integrity hashes; recordings are searchable and exportable into supervisory review queues. Business SMS conversations are retained on the same schedule, with the same WORM properties and supervisory review tools. AI summaries and transcripts inherit the retention class of the source channel and are similarly retained for the FINRA-required period.
Supervisory review tools include risk-keyword flagging, sample-rate review queues, and manager dashboards that track supervisory completion against firm-defined policies. For firms running on a clearing broker or a third-party archiving provider (Smarsh, Global Relay, Theta Lake), DialPhone exports recordings, transcripts, and metadata to those archives via standard API. For specific firm-policy customization or for the QSA AoC equivalent finding letter, request via sales. For the broader compliance posture across SOC 2 and ISO 27001, see the Trust Center.
Capabilities
Compliance-ready
- Immutable call recording with SHA-256 hash integrity
- WORM (Write-Once-Read-Many) storage option
- 7-year default retention, configurable up to 10 years
- Voice + electronic communications archive (SMS, chat, email)
- Supervisor review tools with automated keyword flagging
- Call sampling and 100% interaction analytics
- Export in e-discovery-ready formats
- Manager attestation workflows
- Dodd-Frank Title VII support for swap dealer communications
FINRA / SEC 17a-4 FAQ
Does DialPhone satisfy FINRA Rule 2210 requirements?
Yes. Rule 2210 covers communications with the public and requires records be preserved for 3 years (6 years for some records). DialPhone retains voice and electronic communications with the integrity controls regulators expect, including immutable storage and cryptographic hashing.
Is this SEC 17a-4 compliant?
Yes. 17a-4 requires books and records preservation with WORM storage or a verified alternative. DialPhone supports true WORM storage mode on Contact Center tiers with annual third-party attestation.
Can I export records for regulatory inspection?
Yes. Export tools produce regulator-ready packages with metadata, recordings (original and transcript), chain-of-custody hash verification, and attestation. Inspectors can verify records haven't been altered using the published hash chain.
What plans include FINRA-compatible recording?
Business Phone Ultra ($54/user/mo) and all Contact Center tiers. For teams requiring specific WORM storage and supervisory review tools, Contact Center Professional ($95/agent/mo) or higher is the minimum.
Does this cover Dodd-Frank Title VII for swap dealers?
Yes. Dodd-Frank requires swap dealer communications be archived for 5 years with specific audit characteristics. DialPhone meets these; specific configurations should be discussed with compliance during onboarding.