HIGHLIGHTS
- The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has announced new rules to curb spam calls.
- The authority has banned the use of 10-digit mobile numbers for telemarketing.
- Telcos failing to follow the rules will be penalised.
To tackle the growing problem of spam calls and messages, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced stricter rules under the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018. The new rules ban commercial communication through regular 10-digit mobile numbers and introduce tougher penalties for violations. However, telecom operators are unhappy with the changes.
TRAI introduces new rules to curb spam calls in the country
Under the new rules, promotional and transactional calls will only be allowed through designated number series like ‘140’ and ‘1600’. TRAI has also tightened rules against unregistered telemarketers and introduced heavy fines for telecom companies that fail to comply. First-time violators will face a 15-day suspension of services, while repeat offenders could lose their telecom resources for a year.
TRAI has simplified the complaint process to make it easier for users to report spam, Consumers can now report spam without pre-registering their preferences, and the time limit to file complaints has been extended from three to seven days. Telecom companies must act on complaints within five days, down from the earlier 30-day limit. Promotional messages must also include an opt-out option, and brands must wait 90 days before contacting users who opt out.
Despite these measures, telecom operators, represented by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), have criticized the rules. They argue that penalties should target telemarketers, not service providers and that the rules do not address issues like spam from over-the-top (OTT) messaging apps. COAI has called for a licensing system to regulate telemarketers directly.
