The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is introducing new measures starting September 1 to address the issue of spam calls and messages.
Under the new rules, any entity caught misusing telecom resources for spam will face severe penalties, including immediate disconnection of services and a two-year blacklist from all telecom operators.
The move aims to deter spammers who exploit SIP/PRI lines and enhance compliance among telemarketers to protect consumers from unwanted communications.
Latest Network News: TRAI Enhances 4G and 5G QoS
Additionally, starting September 1, messages containing non-whitelisted URLs or APKs will be prohibited to prevent harmful links often used by spammers to deceive consumers or distribute malware.
Telecom operators have until October 31, 2024, to implement technical measures for entity and telemarketer chain binding, enhancing the traceability of message flows and strengthening regulatory oversight.
In a recent parliamentary session, Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani , Minister of State for Communications, addressed concerns about spam calls by referring to the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018 (TCCCPR-2018). T
hese regulations enable telecom subscribers to register their preferences in the Do Not Call (DNC) Registry, allowing them to block all commercial communications or selectively choose categories to block. So far, approximately 22 crore subscribers have utilized this option.
Also Read: TRAI Starts Consultation on Telecom Service Framework Under New Act
Despite these regulations, unregistered telemarketers (UTMs) have circumvented the rules by using 10-digit numbers instead of the designated 140xxx series for commercial calls.
The government has logged over 12 lakh complaints against UTMs in 2023. In response, telecom operators have been enforcing measures such as issuing warnings, imposing usage caps, and disconnecting repeat offenders.
Related: TRAI Implements New Rules to Combat Spam Calls and Messages
