New Delhi – In a mission towards curbing the menace of spam calls and SMS, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has implemented a series of robust measures. These initiatives are aimed at safeguarding consumer interests and also ensuring accountability among service providers and telemarketers.
TRAI’s directive issued on 13 August 2024, stated its no-tolerance policy toward entities engaging in promotional calls and messages that violate regulations. The mandate includes disconnection of telecom resources, blacklisting of violators for up to two years, and a prohibition on new resource allocation during the blacklisting period.
These decisive actions have already shown promising results. Access providers, acting on TRAI’s directive, have significantly reduced the number of complaints against spam calls. In August 2024, 1.89 lakh complaints were registered. This figure dropped by 13 per cent to 1.63 lakh in September and further declined by 20 per cent to 1.51 lakh in October.
To ensure transparency and traceability in messaging, TRAI issued a directive on 20 August 2024, requiring a clear trail of all messages from senders to recipients. This measure, set to take effect on 1 November 2024, ensures that accountability is embedded into the messaging ecosystem.
Recognising the need for a smooth transition, TRAI extended the implementation deadline to 30 November 2024. This extension provides additional time for Principal Entities (PEs) and Telemarketers (TMs) to align with technical and operational requirements. Access providers have swiftly implemented the necessary technical solutions, laying the groundwork for a seamless transition.
TRAI has actively engaged stakeholders through webinars aimed at raising awareness about these measures. On 12 November 2024, the first webinar, conducted in collaboration with Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd., witnessed participation from over 1,000 representatives, including those from entities regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
The second webinar, held on 19 November 2024, in association with Vodafone Idea Ltd., saw participation from over 800 representatives, including officials from central and state government departments. Building on this momentum, a third webinar is scheduled for 25 November 2024, in partnership with Tata Teleservices Ltd. This event is expected to engage stakeholders from diverse sectors, including consumer affairs, fintech, and technology organisations such as Nasscom and the Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment (FACE).
The collaborative efforts of TRAI and access providers have already driven remarkable progress. Over 13,000 Principal Entities have registered their communication chains with access providers, with many more registrations underway. Access providers are also issuing warning notices to entities that have yet to comply, emphasising the urgency of completing these declarations.
As the 30 November deadline approaches, all principal entities and telemarketers are urged to prioritise compliance. Failure to adhere to the defined telemarketer chain will result in message rejections, reinforcing TRAI’s resolve to uphold consumer rights and regulatory standards.
